MERCY PETITIONS

It refers to practical thinking of Afzal Guru waiting for decision on his mercy petition that waiting for death in solitary prison-cell is worse than being hanged. Rule should be for a time-bound decision in say maximum three months on mercy petitions filed before the President against death-sentence. Delay in deciding the issue creates unnecessary emotions and provocation, apart from diluting fear against committing the crime.

CRIMINALS AS MINISTERS

It refers to killing of a police-constable in a police-station allegedly by persons of a UP Minister Yamuna Prasad Nishad in presence of the minister, and subsequent his sacking from the UP Ministry. Criminal cases involving ministers have become a quite usual trend. Interestingly their influence turns even prison-cells luxurious health-resorts in their own states. To effectively check such tendency, trial for legislators and ministers should be carried on outside their home-states as decided by a high-powered National Judicial Commission with retired Apex Court judges as member-nominees of President, Prime Minister, Opposition Leader, Chief Justice of India and Central Vigilance Commissioner. Secondly any imprisonment for persons having held any legislative post any time in life should be compulsorily outside their home-states. Best is to have only non-members not having contested any election in last say one year may be made Ministers but with some norms and minimum educational qualification fixed for ministerial-appointments leaving job of MPs and MLAs to be king-makers and watchdog for such appointed ministers.

MADHU AGRAWAL

Dual currency: Whose tune is this?

Both, Mufti Mohammed Syed and his daughter, have revealed their true colours by making a call for dual currency. In knowledgeable people have for long suspected their designs though it was apparent that they were hand in glove with separatist elements in Kashmir even when he was the Home Minister of India. What surprises most is that how have they managed for such a long time to befool the rest of the country into believing that they are as much a nationalist as any one else. The truth is that they have been using India’s secular and liberal platform to work for a Kashmir that has special relationship with Pakistan. However, they forget that while the valley of Kashmir may be comfortable in its proximity with Pakistan, the rest of the State is not. All nationalist forces must come together to expose and oppose the father-daughter duo.

Pran Nath Mangotra
Paloura, Jammu

Will this canal carry water?

It is indeed a matter of regret that once again canal water is becoming a bone of contention between Punjab and Haryana. The last time it happened the results were disastrous for the country. If reports are to be believed then the Hansi-Butana project had inter state ramifications and therefore it was necessary for Haryana to seek prior approval. Without doing that it spent public money and now we are told that the CAG has raised objections to it. Obviously, for the politicians settling of scores and catering to vote banks or trying to create new constituencies is much more important than either public good or the wise spending of public money. There is no doubt that as far as the distribution of river waters is concerned Punjab has been less than fair. It is also guilty of blackmailing the rest of the country by raising the spectre of terrorism rather than containing it but now Haryana is aggravating the situation by its provocative scheme.

Paramjit Singh Sidhu
Kurukeshtra

A blueprint for hockey

All sports loving people should support all genuine efforts that can promote hockey. It must not be forgotten that this is the only sport in which we have been consistently the best. Even today when we are down and appear to be out we continue to be a threat to the best teams in the world. Lack of success has affected public support for it but if the real causes of the decline are addressed then there is reason to believe that we can hold our head high. However, for the efforts one need not depend upon the government though its support is essential. Unless the grassroot is supported and sustained by private finances there is little hope for its revival. It is only in totalitarian states that complete state support yields results. In democracies that produces confusion and failure.

Pitamber Lal
Meerut Cantt.

Cat - a pet for all seasons

I must congratulate you for bringing in information about pets that are an integral part of human life. Most of us would like to have pets but in the absence of adequate information we end up with pets that become a burden on us. In the process we also subject them to cruelty that cannot be forgiven. By educating your readers you are guiding them and helping them to not only make themselves happy but also the pets more comfortable. It would be great help to animal lovers if you also provide information about the common mistakes that people make in breaking the pets in families. Guidelines to their health would also be greatly welcomed by your readers.

Manpreet Dhillon
Sector 15, Chandigarh.