Letters to The Editor: Graft gift of Congress

Graft gift of Congress

From Pandit Nehru to Dr Manmohan Sinngh, all the governments in Delhi under Congress Prime Minister, have an indubitable record of financial corruption in the form of bribery, lobbying, nepotism, patronage etc. Corruption culture in Congress started immediately after independence under Nehru with the Jeep scandal case of 1948; which flourished under Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi to Manmohan Singh ending in 2014. Indiraji had even dismissed the corruption issue as 'a global phenomenon' and refrained from addressing the issue thereby opening the route of corruption to her party colleagues. During his 5-year term (1984-89) Rajiv Gandhi himself was indicted in the Bofors gun scandal court case but he manoeuvred to wriggle out of the case and instead the then Foreign Minister was made a scapegoat who had to resign the deal. With the end of Rajiv Gandhi's term in 1989 as Prime Minister, no member from Nehru-Gandhi family has had any chance to hold the exalted post but corruptions under the Congress-led Governments were indulged in and mostly linked to the Gandhi family as by then Congress came in the total grip of the family when Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi received a fraudulent share of benefit from Government's contract deals. Corruption culture under Congress increased rapidly under the political patronage and environment of ethics and morality nosedived that crippled the country's economy as businesses and manufacturers refused to operate in India due to the prevalence of bribery. The last Congress-led UPA Government (2004-14) was infamous for corruption scandals but Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dodged the issue and looked the other way. According to a survey reported in The Hindu on Nov 2020, India in that period recorded the highest rate of bribery in Asia.

In contrast, the NDA rule led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for continuous seven-and-a-half years (from May 2014 onwards) has been a corruption-free and spotless one- a case that bears testimony of good governance. The share of corruption of Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul Gandhi has become a talk of the town for their indictment in the ongoing national herald corruption case in the Delhi High Court which has also accused their company and other party colleagues and the Associated Journal Ltd (ALJ), the publisher of party organ National Herald. The gullible electorate has now become upset with the dishonest Congress for its dictatorial mode of functioning due to limited leadership in the family and could not trust other associates in the party who are but supposedly the yes-men of the Gandhis.

Pannalal Dey,

Guwahati

News coverage

I have been a regular reader of your esteemed daily since its inception. But I want to inform you of a matter that may need your attention. It has been observed that for the last few months this newspaper doesn't include some news items on national as well as the state of Assam to be aware of as a reader. Unless I go through a local newspaper, this information goes unnoticed and makes me feel embarrassed. These news items may appear less important but required to be noticed by the majority of the readers. I want to cite an example for yesterday's (8th December) newspaper wherein information like government proposes to increase GST on some items and announcement of hike in DA for the employee of the State Government were missing. I shall be glad if you kindly arrange to incorporate a few more news items for the greater interest of the readers.

Dr P C Sarmah,

Jorhat-1

No politics, please

The recent unfortunate killing of 14 Naga youths by our security forces by sheer mistaken identity somewhere in Nagaland is very shocking and painful. In the meantime, an SIT has been formed by the government to look into the matter. We all know that enough blood has already been shed in Nagaland by the insurgent outfits killing both security personnel and civilians. As usual, the oppositions instead of trying to diffuse the situation by cooperating with the government are openly trying to politicise the issue to suit their political gains. It does not augur well for the nation's integrity but the opposition who are like vultures are brazenly questioning the security forces thereby giving our arch enemies to take the issue into international forums. Instances are galore where we found that our oppositions, mainly the INC, leftists openly questioned the integrity of our brave hearts in the past. The whole world regards our army as one of the best professional Army in the world. The supreme sacrifices made by our brave hearts on the border make every patriotic Indian salute them. My simple message to the opposition who are hell-bent to politicise the issue, not to do so as it might demoralise our brave hearts who are daily shedding their blood for the motherland.

Before parting, I offer my heartfelt condolence and sympathy to the bereaved families. Let it be the last blood bath in Nagaland.

Dr Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati

Tough papers bewilder students

The CBSE is known for its rich imparting of education and innovation in the learning-teaching process and its student-friendly approach when it comes to academic and co-curricular matters. During the Covid period, the CBSE truly cared for its lakhs of students in India and abroad by giving priority to the safety of students taking measures like cancelling the examinations and going in for alternative methods to award marks to its candidates.

The board's foresightedness was much appreciated when it came out with the plan of two terms for classes tenth and twelfth this year - one in MCQ (objective) method and then a descriptive one later to avoid Covid-related issues.

However, the board's current objective type exams have brought in a lot of criticism from the student community as the papers were found very tricky, confusing and 'stress creating'. Students of class twelfth had the shock of their life when the English paper had them bewildered because of questions that were confusing and the option to be chosen, the students opine, were all similar and each answer was a valuable point in itself making the students very difficult to get the right one! Mathematics also had them tensed as it was lengthy and took time to get the answers! The problem was even raised in the parliament and a request was made to the Education Ministry to make evaluation liberal. The MP who raised a very genuine issue also urged the Education Ministry to consider making the evaluation process for the papers "liberal" in the interest of students who appeared for the exams. He also expressed anguish as the students were totally depressed and mentally down and this can even affect their prospects also.

The board had gone for such innovations in the past too and though some of its novelties had gone well with the students some did not.

Now the board's experimentation of two semesters, as public examinations, and with difficult papers making the round undoubtedly has caused anxiety and apprehension among parents and students. The papers have caused a furore among the students, parents and teachers community spreading a sort of fear and panic and disappointment even among the very bright ones who are under severe pressure. Students who aimed for a centum now doubt whether they would be able to even score a pass mark in the subjects and what makes them tenser is the fact that the board had announced earlier that in a future situation if Covid crisis becomes critical and the exam in April is cancelled then the first-semester mark would be taken.

The students cry that it would be a tough time for them when the results come as they would have to sweat a lot to get high marks in the second-semester exam if there is one. They also may find it hard to compete with state syllabus scorers who score more owing to a much easier set of questioning. What teachers and parents are worried about is that the board's new ideas and experimentation in question papers might result in more students opting for the state syllabus in the plus 2 levels in future.

Especially in a state like Kerala and many others where students appearing in the state plus two scheme examination normally can score very high marks, thanks to the state boards' setting of student-friendly and mild-method of testing the candidates, CBSE schools may find it difficult to retain their students and may even end up in less number of students and finally its closure.

The state education in South Indian states and elsewhere already is witnessing a huge change where senior classes in many CBSE schools have been shut as parents opt for state board-run schools which are 'light' and 'economical' when compared to CBSE schools. It is high time the board minimized its way of exploring and experimenting.

M PRADYU

(pradyumukund@gmail.com)

Farmers & participation in the election process

While reaching their villages they will find that there are brisk political activities due to the ensuing Assembly elections which are to be held in February-March 2022 and it is expected from them that as they participated with full dedication in farmers agitation the same dedication is now required for participation in the Assembly elections. It is well known that India is the largest democratic country and to make it stronger in a real sense it is the moral duty of all electorates to participate in the election process. The Election Commission had nominated me as district Icon for PwD for the Assembly elections so I appeal to all the farmers' unions who were at the forefront at the Farmers agitation and now it is their moral duty that there should be hundred per cent polling in their respective areas in Panjab, UP and Uttrakhand. It is for their information that polling booths had been established at the ground level so that infirm, senior citizens and disabled do not face any difficulties and any information can be got from telephone no 1950. Even if a person is unable to visit the polling station due to medical problems the arrangement can be made at his residence by Election Commission but for that prior information is required and proper video photography will be done. And this shows how the Election commission is curious so that no voter is left who could not cast his/her vote. Also, a wheelchair will be available at the polling station. Even a single vote is important as we know in Rajasthan leader of operation lost the Assembly election by one vote only and that shows the importance of one vote. To make the democracy stronger it is of utmost importance to cast the vote and the Election Commission is trying its best to provide the facilities to the voters so that they may not face any difficulty at the polling and we all should also co-operate with the Election Commission so that target of hundred per cent polling may be achieved.

Yash Pal Ralhan,

Jalandar 144003

A true servant

Few fortunate ones have the fortune of dedicating their whole life to the service of the nation. Recently, Colonel PRITHIPAL SINGH GILL (Retd) who celebrated his 100th birthday is one such person who selflessly served the three units of Indian defence services, the Indian Air Force, Indian Navy and Indian Army. Colonel Prithipal Singh Gill started his career in the pre-World War 2 era as a young pilot in the Royal Indian Air Force and later on sailed the high seas with the Indian Navy and finally, he served the country as Gunner Officer with the Indian Army. The decorated Serviceman served the nation during World War 2 and is also a war veteran of India – Pakistan war in 1965. Before retiring from the service with distinction he was the Section Commander with the Assam Rifles in Manipur.

Such kind of people is a true inspiration to the nation, true servant to the motherland and great patriot. With heavy heart through Your Esteemed daily, I offer my heartfelt condolences on the untimely demise of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Laxman Singh Rawat, (PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, YSM, VSM, ADC) who too served the Armed forces with distinction.

OM SHANTI OM SHANTI, MOKSHE

Julie Bhuyan,

Gaurisagar.

No entertainment programmes!

After the tragic event, no festival is celebrated at home for a year or a few months. Doing so is still prevalent today. For soldiers, the whole country is their family. Leaving that caste-creed, they always remain busy in serving the nation only. To pay tribute to Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), General Bipin Rawat, there is a suggestion that entertainment programmes on all language channels may be stopped for a few days. Its duration can be determined by the channels. This can only be done positively. It is not appropriate to express grief on the one hand and watch entertainment programmes on the other. The gravity of the incident should not be limited to expressing regret over the incident. If you do not watch entertainment programmes for some time, then no storm is going to come.

The sacrifices and prowess of that great warrior who devoted most of his life to the country should be respected. Entertainment should be abandoned to inculcate this important point in the minds of society. Everyone can do this for the country. We must take immediate steps to do what is possible. This ideal will remain in front of everyone. How annoying is it when there is a loss of life and property belonging to the security forces? This is well known to the security forces. We read the news of the martyrdom of the soldiers and move forward. Unknowingly, it has become a sacrament. The seriousness of the martyrdom of the soldier should be taken care of and the patriots must do so.

Er. Jayesh Rane,

Mumbai