Faith restored

Munawar Faruqui’s release has restored people’s faith in judiciary. It was ironic how Faruqui had been jailed for a minor offence, but journalist Arnab Goswami was granted back his ‘personal liberty’ on priority. In a democracy, judges must not be influenced by religious and fascist sentiment, but pass judgments in tune with democratic values. Inderpal Singh

Ludhiana

PGI’s amputee care

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences, Chandigarh, needs to be commended for setting up the first amputee clinic in India. The goal is to send the amputee back home as a normal functional human being. Holistic care plays the most important role in the life of an amputee.

Dr Aashim Bagga

Hoshiarpur

Farmers must soften stand

HT’s interview of Rakesh Tikait and Balbir Singh Rajewal establish that protesting unions are determined to prolong the agitation. The Prime Minister’s offer to suspend the laws for 18 months is not acceptable to them. They have dared to challenge the government because they are being provoked and protected by the hidden ‘hand’. The right to protest is not till eternity. Mutual trust and ‘give and take’ is the key to resolution of the issue.

Usha Verma Chandigarh

India’s double-speak

The Centre’s objection to foreign celebrities’ expression of solidarity with protesting farmers is misplaced. Haryana CM’s statement that outsiders should not interfere in the country’s internal affairs exemplifies double-speak as India has often commented on human rights violations in other countries.

Opinder Kaur Sekhon

Chandigarh

MSP boosts diversification

Just about 10% of the total farm produce, mainly wheat and paddy, are purchased by government agencies on MSP and farmers are compelled to sell the rest of the crops at much lower rates in the open market. A legal guarantee for MSP will be no additional burden on the government. Rather, private traders will be forced to purchase at MSP or higher rates. By not announcing a legal guarantee for MSP, the government is safe-guarding the interests of big corporations.

Bhupinder Kochhar

Panchkula

Social media war

It is a measure of success of farmers’ protests that these have turned into a social media war, with celebs joining in. Pop star Rihanna has a following of 101 million on twitter. Environmental activist Greta Thunberg and others also joined in. In an unusual move, the Union external affairs ministry responded to these tweets, stating that Parliament passed these laws to give improve market access to farmers. After this halftruth, the government floated the ‘conspiracy theory’ against India. HT has rightly said in an editorial that the most effective way in which state can respond (to global criticism) is by strengthening its democratic framework. Beant Singh Bedi

Mohali

Stand united

The glacial lake outburst flood in Tapovan and Raini villages in Uttarakhand has shocked the nation, with 14 people already dead, and over 150 trapped in two tunnels of hydel power projects. Teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) are doing their best to find the missing labourers even risking their own lives. The country must unite to help people in distress in Uttarakhand. We must show solidarity with people fighting a natural disaster.

Subhash Puri Panchkula