letterstoeditor
UBER, OLA NOT TO BLAME FOR AUTO SLOWDOWN
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s logic of attributing the slowdown in auto sector to Uber and Ola doesn’t really wash. Only select urban areas are covered by these companies that are appbased rental facilities. The grim reality is that the middle class doesn’t have surplus cash due to the economic slump and hence is withholding spend on consumer goods. The government should reduce GST on consumer items and ensure that banks provide cheaper loans to pump demand.
Niranjan Walia, Jalandhar
AFGHANISTAN HEADED FOR MORE VIOLENCE
Nearly 18 years after the 9/11 attack in New York killed 3,000 people, there is no let-up in tensions between the US and the Taliban. The proposed peace deal between the US and the Taliban has fallen through due to relentless terror operations from that group in Afghanistan, targeting civilians and Americans. Clearly, the world, particularly Afghanistan, is headed for another phase of violence and uncertainty.
Varun Malik, Chandigarh
CURB PLYING OF OVERLOADED TRUCKS
Overloaded trucks have emerged as a menace on Patiala’s roads, with an increase in the number of accidents directly attributed to their plying. The government, unfortunately, has focused on only one part of the equation, which is putting in place deterrence for civilian commuters in the form of heavy fines. As a country, we need to focus on safety as well.
Perminder Kaur, Patiala
PAK NOT CONCERNED ABOUT KASHMIRIS
At the on-going United Nations Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva, Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi made a pitch for removal of restrictions in Kashmir and also against the abrogation of article 370. Is Pakistan really concerned about the plight of Kashmiris? The fact is that Islamabad is finding it hard to push in militants and stir the pot in the Valley. The world knows that Pakistan is a state that sponsors terrorism. Such tactics, evident in the terror attacks in Pathankot and Pulwama, had derailed peace overtures from the Indian side. New Delhi must stick to its narrative that Kashmir is, and will remain, as an internal matter.
Vishiwjeet Singh,
Chandigarh
CRIMINAL SPLURGING OF FUNDS IN PUNJAB
Misplaced priorities and tweaked policies of successive state governments have acted as major obstacles to Punjab’s growth. Relentless, even, criminal splurging of funds meant for kids’ nutrition is an added insult to Punjab’s 22% malnourished under-privileged children. Weak and stunted children cannot make a strong and prosperous nation. The government’s policies must be goal-oriented and must be implemented both on paper and in spirit.
Aseem Mahajan,
Gurdaspur
COMMENDABLE GESTURE OF ARCHBISHOP
The archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby’s gesture at Jallianwala Bagh is commendable. His statement that he felt sorry and ashamed over the massacre perpetrated hundred years ago will help redress the sense of grievance embedded in India’s collective conscience. Though the 1919 tragedy was the handiwork of the then British rulers, the archbishop has risen to the occasion by his unequivocal condemnation. It is time to learn lessons from the crimes of the past to ensure a peaceful future.
Devinder Singh, Patiala