Waqf law to divert attention

Refer to ‘New Waqf law reeks of divisive agenda’; the aim of the law is to empower the poor and protect women, claims PM Modi. But his government failed to explain how it would be done. It was not able to satisfy the Supreme Court on the questions raised. Will the government distribute Waqf-occupied land among poor Muslims? How would nominating non-Muslims in Waqf boards benefit the community? Huge chunks of land have been occupied by other religious organisations, but only Waqf boards are being targeted. Instead of focusing on problems such as unemployment and inflation, the government raises Hindu-Muslim issues just to divert people’s attention.

Bhupinder Kochhar, Panchkula

Awareness at school level

Apropos of ‘Nasha-Mukt Bharat: Lofty goals, lingering gaps’; one of the root causes of the drug menace is peer pressure. Teachers and parents can definitely play an important role in keeping a vigil on boys and girls. Schoolgoing children get influenced more by their teachers than their parents. The importance of healthy habits, good company and focus on academic performance must be stressed in schools and colleges. They should be encouraged to participate in sports, besides extra-curricular activities like NCC, yoga and dance competitions. Medical check-ups should be conducted regularly, say twice a year.

NPS Sohal, Chandigarh

Plug gaps to curb drug scourge

With reference to ‘Nasha-Mukt Bharat: Lofty goals, lingering gaps’; Punjab is one of the states worst affected by substance abuse. The stakeholders need to plug all loopholes to finish the menace. Efforts have to be made at multiple levels. While security agencies could put an end to the demand and supply chain, educational and health institutions need to focus on creating awareness among children. Society at large can also play an effective role. Since unemployment is one of the root causes, endeavours must be made to augment job avenues.

Ravi Sharma, Dhariwal

Trump arm-twisting varsities

Refer to ‘Trump vs varsities’; for many decades, the US Government has been granting funds to its elite universities. Trump’s attack on universities like Harvard on one pretext or the other is an assault on the core principles that have shaped democracy in the US. These varsities represent the best of the country’s principles like freedom of speech and commitment to diversity. The federal government’s attempts to curb political and ideological views of students as well as teachers are bound to affect the academic atmosphere. The threats of cancelling visas of students and scholars is like arm-twisting the universities that fail to toe the Trump line. When any government imposes an environment of fear, there won’t be much space left for innovation.

SK Panesar, by mail

Judiciary should look within

Refer to ‘SC acting as super Parl, says VP on timeline for Prez’; Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar has said that the Supreme Court cannot dictate a timeline to the President in his/her administrative role. The SC is meant to deliver justice — fixing deadlines for the President is impracticable. It is important to fast-track court cases, but that unfortunately is not happening. The fact that over 5 crore cases are pending in courts across the country reflects considerable delay in justice delivery. So, do the courts follow timelines?

Ashok Kumar Goel, Panchkula

SC had to intervene

Apropos of ‘SC acting as super Parl, says VP on timeline for Prez’; the legislature, executive and judiciary have well-defined tasks as per the Constitution. As the guardian of the Constitution, the judiciary has to step in when the other two elements are found wanting on any count. On many occasions, the Supreme Court has acted to protect federalism and ensure timely approval of state Bills by Governors. In this recent case too, the apex court had to intervene when the Tamil Nadu Governor sat over 10 Bills duly passed by the legislature.

Hira Sharma, by mail

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