letterstoeditor
CAPTAIN’S CHARISMA
There is no doubt the resounding victory of the Congress in Punjab polls is mostly due to Captain Amarinder Singh’s charisma and his resolve to kick out the Badals, who have ruined the state. Even after being held responsible for the 2007 and 2012 poll debacles, Amarinder’s fighting spirit got better of all his critics and he took along his party cadres to an emphatic win in what had been declared his last battle of ballots. Now, as the Punjab CM, Captain should not indulge in any witch hunt, but focus on good governance. He, in fact, has an opportunity to showcase Punjab as a model Congress state, which may help the grand old party regain some of its lost glory and relevance. LJ Singh, Amritsar
CHALLENGES AHEAD
‘The road ahead for Amarinder’ (HT editorial, March 13) gives deep insight into problems that Captain Amarinder Singh is likely to confront soon. We wish him all the best, and hope Punjab will witness all-round prosperity under him. The SAD-BJP combine has ruled Punjab for a decade, and now when people have elected the Congress, Badals as well as the A AP should extend their whole hearted support to the new government to fulfil the aspirations of Punjabis. Vijay Kumar Soi, Chandigarh
II
The Congress government will have to face immediate problems of drug abuse, unemployment, farmer suicides, religious intolerance and projects left incomplete by the Akali government. People expect speedy fulfilment of promises made in the election manifesto. Captain will be answerable for some populist promises such as one job in every family. It’s going to be a tough road ahead. JBS Nanda, Ludhiana
III
People have shown a lot of faith in the Congress by bringing it back to power after 10 years of Akali rule. Capt Amarinder Singh should fulfil all promises made to the electorate ahead of the polls and make Punjab a developed state. Madhav Sharma, Jalandhar
IV
The Congress has got a huge mandate, which is beyond even its own expectations. The party has a big challenge ahead: deliver on all the pre-poll promises and revive the state’s economy. The parties that could not find favour with the electorate should introspect and perform a positive role while sitting on the opposition benches in the assembly. Paramjit Singh, Patiala
AAP DEFEAT
The huge victory for the Congress in Punjab has also come with a consolation for the Shiromani Akali Dal: the Aam Aadmi Party, though placed second, did not come up with a spectacular performance as was being expected all along. All traditional parties, national or regional, have a common agenda: Keep the AAP out of power. Lakhvinder Singh
SADBJP LOSS
Anti-incumbency, fuelled by the Congress and AAP propaganda, led to the SAD-BJP’s defeat in Punjab. It seems voters turned a blind eye to development that took place all these years. The most surprising is cabinet minister Anil Joshi’s defeat, despite the all-round development witnessed in his segment, Amritsar North. The area never faced fund shortage when it came to repairing roads, covering open drains, installing streetlights or maintaining cleanliness. The newly elected Congress MLA had not even visited most parts of the segment and is basically an outsider. What were the voters thinking while exercising their franchise! Dr Ranbir Singh Pannu, Amritsar
DEMOCRACY WINS
The results of the assembly elections in five states prove that whenever political parties do not work for the welfare of common public, they are punished. It’s not a win for the Congress in Punjab or the BJP in UP, it’s the win of democracy. Public opinion is the key driving force behind successful functioning of a democracy. Shivam Aggarwal, Ludhiana
TAMPERING WITH EVMs
This is not the first time that BSP supremo Mayawati has alleged tampering with electronic voting machines during elections in Uttar Pradesh. The election commission should not allow for more than a week’s gap between polling and counting of votes to prevent any mischief.
SS Utreja, Ludhiana II Mayawati, Rahul Gandhi and Arvind Kejriwal are being sore losers for alleging tampering with EVMs by the BJP. If the allegation is true, then how come the Congress managed an emphatic win in Punjab, defeating AkaliBJP combine? Subhash C Kashyap, SAS Nagar
MODI’S ‘NEW INDIA’
After ‘Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao’ and ‘Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has now pledged for a ‘New India’ by 2022. He has assured that the government will work for everybody, and the poor and middle class will get ample opportunities. The poor are often assured of a better livelihood, but none of these promises are brought into action. If we all hold hands with the PM in this initiative, then maybe there is a hope for a ‘New India’ in future.
Rajabinda Bindra, Kharar
II
Modi’s promise to build a ‘New India’ by 2022 has at its core the assurance of creating new opportunities for the poor so that they don’t have to depend on doles for their living. The PM has made it clear that he will work for all, not only for those who voted for him. He will definitely make India the best country. Gauri Kalra
WEDDING EXPENDITURE
A recent bill introduced in the Parliament proposes to impose a ceiling on wedding expenditure and restrict the number of invitees. It is ironic that Ranjeet Ranjan, the MP who proposed this private bill, herself had an ostentatious wedding. The bill is an undue interference in a citizen’s private life. We have an array of arrangements to suit all personalities and pockets. Though spending on weddings should be in moderation, it is best to leave the decision to the families concerned. Bhavika Jain