letterstoeditor

NEED FOR REGULATORY AUTHORITY

This refers to the guest column ‘Higher education needs autonomy to flourish, not more regulation’ by Chandigarh University vice-chancellor RS Bawa who made a case against setting up a regulatory authority to control the working of private colleges and universities in Punjab. Bawa is apparently voicing the views of the influential lobby of private institutions’ promoters. The state government is proposing a regulator on public demand since people are victims of malpractices of such institutions. It’s really difficult to choose institutions judiciously since a large number of sub-standard educational institutions are flourishing. They lack qualified staff, infrastructure and proper facilities. Kartar Singh Sidhu, Bathinda

MODI CABINET REJIG A WELCOME MOVE

In a bid to boost governance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tried to tap talent outside the political pool and inducted retired bureaucrats in his cabinet. This is a welcome first step in national interest. Similarly, there is a vast reservoir of dedicated retired military officers who can be brought in to fulfill the same objective. It will be important to draw attention to services of such officers being utilised at ministerial level by the United States, the oldest democracy in the world. Brig Harish Malhotra

RAIL MISHAPS EXPOSE BJP GOVT’S CLAIMS

Three rail accidents took place in Uttar Pradesh, Delhi and Maharashtra on a single day. This reflects the sheer inefficiency of the railway department. Are these the ‘Achhe Din’ the BJP had promised before it came to power? Even as there was no loss of life in the accidents, there is no excuse for hiding the incompetence of those at the helm. Even the induction of new railway minister seems to have made no difference. Moreover, the Prime Minister is going to lay foundation for bullet train this month. I highly doubt the efficacy of bullet trains in a country where local trains can’t run properly. Naman Sehgal

INTOLERANCE TO DISSENT DESPICABLE

This refers to your editorial ‘Many cases are still hanging fire’ that appeared on September 7. I question this constantly rising intolerance to dissent in our country. Journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh’s murder is suggestive of assault on the freedom of speech. Several accused are roaming free in similar cases. American crime writer Sara Paretsky said in an essay that those who want to silence dissent are trying to force people into making the reverse journey from speech to silence. Lal Singh

II

I am not Gauri Lankesh’s fan, nor have I read any of her articles. I only know that she was a senior journalist and was brutally shot dead in Bangaluru for her writings, which were not in line with the ideology of her adversaries. Basic courtesy demands that one should pay tributes to the departed soul, even if he/she had different views than ours. However, it is alarming to see the reaction of some on the social media. Trolls are not only abandoning public decency but are also maligning her image. In the past, the government has taken action against such trolls, why can’t it take a similar action in this case?

Niranjan Walia, Jalandhar Standards of journalism are falling constantly. Journalists should be working to build bridges between people but they are today the cause of many problems. It appears that they have forgotten their responsibilities. Many news channels are spreading false propaganda today. Following Gauri Lankesh’s murder, channels are in a race to gain cheap publicity. This is shameful. Amit Kumar, Amritsar

RIGHT VERDICT BY TADA COURT

This refers to the front page news ‘Two get death, Abu Salem life for ‘93 Mumbai blasts’ in HT on September 8. The trial court took more than two decades to pronounce its verdict in the case. The special TADA court pronounced death sentence to the Tahir Merchant, Firoz Khan and life imprisonment to Abu Salem. The verdict is appropriate since it will send a strong message to such perpetrators. Harpreet Sandhu, Ludhiana

GIVE IT TO THOSE WHO DESERVE

With reference to “Scindia writes to Nadda” story in HT on September 8, a road in New Delhi was named after former Union minister Madhavrao Scindia besides release of a postage stamp in his name. No road, no postage has been named or released after any other former ministers. Sardar Swaran Singh was an eminent lawyer, social activist, educationist and humanist and was cabinet minister for more than 25 years. A road should be named and a postage stamp should be released after Sardar Swaran Singh. Narinder Singh, Chandigarh

PLIGHT OF ROHINGYAS

It is tragic that India has announced deportation of Rohingya refugees from the country. This despite that India has always welcomed refugees. The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has said Rohnigyas might be foreign nationals but they are human beings. The Centre should make arrangements for Rohingya refugees. Sanna Singh, Patiala

PROBE DERA MESS

The Haryana government must form a special investigation team to probe the circumstances under which dead bodies were supplied by Dera Sacha Sauda to a medical college in UP. There are private medical colleges where the dera used to regularly supply bodies. The SIT must find out if all this was legal or was it used as a means to dispose of these bodies.

Dr Tejit Singh, Chandigarh