Nation owes big to gig workers

Refer to ‘Gig economy faces grim reality’; the gig workers are doing a yeoman’s service and they deserve to be treated with respect. In the present times, where joint families have become redundant and old people have to live alone and fend for themselves, they depend immensely on these service providers. The inclusion of gig workers in healthcare schemes is a welcome step. Gig work reduces unemployment, though these workers are not considered self-employed. Their issues need to be addressed on humanitarian grounds. They are young and energetic and need to be paid and treated better.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Media must act responsibly

This is reference to article ‘Rhea cleared, TV hysteria left unpunished’; the Rhea Chakraborty case is a classic example of a media trial where the accused was pronounced guilty even before the court’s verdict. The excessive coverage and sensationalism created a frenzy, which proved detrimental to the accused, her family and the justice system as a whole. The menace of media trials is not new in India. There have been several instances where the media has overstepped its boundaries; some notable examples include the Jessica Lal, Arushi-Hemraj and Sunanda Pushkar murder cases. It is essential for the media to recognise its responsibility and exercise restraint in reporting sensitive cases, ensuring that an individual’s right to a fair trial is not compromised.

Capt Amar Jeet (Retd), Kharar

Individual’s dignity sacrosanct

The craze for TRPs has made the electronic media a ruthless, character-assassination machine. The witch-hunt of Rhea Chakraborty is a glaring example where facts were trampled upon and fake narratives peddled to whip up emotions. Sensationalist anchors hound individuals, invading their privacy and ruining reputations. Freedom of the press is sacrosanct, but so is individual dignity. The government must rein in this media tyranny through stringent laws, ensuring that those found guilty face exemplary punishment that serves as a deterrent against irresponsible journalism.

Chanchal S Mann, Una

Debt trap of its own making

Refer to ‘Crippling debt trap’; Punjab’s fiscal woes are of its own making. The AAP government has been blindly following Arvind Kejriwal’s disastrous mantra of offering freebies to garner votes, like free power to farmers and up to 300 units per month to domestic consumers. The Punjab Government recently provided relief to traders and commuters when it took strong action against farmers who had blocked the national highways at Shambhu and Khanauri borders for over a year. The government would be well advised to go a little further and stop free power to farmers and domestic consumers. Harsh and unpopular actions are sometimes needed for the public good.

Wg Cdr CL Sehgal (retd), Jalandhar

Strict vigil over revenue collection

With reference to ‘Crippling debt trap’; no financial discipline was exercised by successive governments in Punjab. There is an urgent need to rationalise subsidies and practise austerity in expenditure. Unproductive spending must be done away with. By strict monitoring of revenue collection from liquor sale, mining, GST and other sources, the quantum of revenue can be enhanced substantially. Corrupt practices in financial dealings should be dealt with swiftly and severely. No effort should be spared to lift the state out of the debt trap.

Subhash Vaid, New Delhi

More production plants needed

Vote bank politics has put Punjab under a debt of around Rs 3.96 lakh crore. Revenue collection from mining and taxes has not increased. Haryana has been doing better in revenue generation due to GST collection from Gurugram’s IT companies. There is a dire need to bring production plants, especially of food processing, to Punjab to boost revenue receipts. The day is not far when the state will become bankrupt if successive governments continue to depend on loans.

Wg Cdr JS Minhas (Retd), Mohali

Letters to the Editor