letterstoeditor

KOVIND FOR PREZ

The BJP made a wise move by choosing a Dalit candidate for the Presidential election. It’s Ram Nath Kovind’s Dalit credentials that appear to have tilted the scales in his favour decisively. The BJP has successfully broken the opposition’s unity. The Congress is finding itself in a catch-22 situation. Modi has clearly set his eyes on the 2019 elections by describing Kovind’s nomination as empowerment of a Dalit farmer’s son. Amit Bharti, Amritsar

II

Prefixing the BJP’s choice for President with the epithet ‘Dalit leader’ is highly regressive. If belonging to a specific caste is Kovind’s most important qualification to vie for the top office, then how are we going to establish a casteless society? Already holding the governor’s post, does he still require the Dalit tag? MPS Chadha, SAS Nagar

III

Declaring its Presidential candidate is any party’s prerogative, but why play a communal, gender or caste card? Kovind is being projected as a Dalit leader, and not as an educated lawyer, constitution expert and a man with experience in public life. Not only the BJP, even other parties do the same thing. It’s a disgrace for our country. Devinder Singh, Patiala

IV

In a democracy, the President’s office is the last port of call. Though Presidents may not have the last word, they can still embarrass the government, and keep it on its toes, by returning a bill. Moreover, in the present times of extreme ideological divisions, a President’s role cannot be overstated. For this reason, the candidature for the highest post should be above political considerations. Instead of Kovind, an apolitical person with an academic background, like Dr Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, would have been the right choice. PS Kaur

FARMERS’ PLIGHT

The Punjab government’s budget announcement of total waiver of crop loans up to ₹2 lakh of small and marginal farmers (owning up to five acres) is laudable. The CM has also made a genuine request to big farmers to shun power subsidy. It will be better if the government passes legislation in this regard. Farmers with large land holdings are enjoying free power while leading a luxurious life. They should also be brought under the tax net. It will help generate resources to improve the condition of small farmers. Navneet Seth, Dhuri

SIDHU’S COMEDY CIRCUS

Cabinet minister Navjot Singh Sidhu seems to be settling personal scores and turning governance into a ‘comedy circus’ by halting projects initiated by the previous Akali regime. First he scrapped the BRTS project in Amritsar, then he termed Anandpur Sahib’s Virasat-e-Khalsa museum a white elephant, and now he has scrapped the Harike amphibious bus in Tarn Taran. How can he compare the Harike bus with PRTC buses and scrap the ₹10-crore project on the pretext that first the road transport corporation should be revived? Tarandeep Singh Gill

CRIME AGAINST WOMEN

While the party in power is busy protecting cows and promoting yoga, there is not a single word of solace being uttered by its leaders for women who fall victim to heinous crimes. A Gujarati girl was abducted from Sohna in Haryana, gangraped in a car for seven hours and then dumped in Noida. In hospital, she must be wondering why has there been not a single tweet from the highest quarters to assure her of speedy justice. Satwant Kaur, Mahilpur

MEDIA’S CRICKET CRAZE

The past Sunday saw India and Pakistan play each other in two separate tournaments. While the Men in Blues’ humiliating loss in ICC Champions Trophy final got wide coverage, their thumping win over the same adversary in the Hockey World League semifinal found a cursory mention. Naresh Malhotra