Remembering Partition, Building Bridges
In a letter responding to 'Vaapsi on the wings of love', Vijay Kumar Katial from Panchkula reflects on the enduring emotional ties that transcend political borders. He recalls how his father, despite severe dementia and the lifelong trauma of Partition, would brighten up whenever he playfully said, 'Let us go to Jhang.' Katial notes that the heart often remembers what the mind forgets, and the collective desire of ordinary people to live together was eclipsed by political expediency. He argues that in a world weary of recurring conflicts, South Asia should strive to make borders increasingly permeable through trust, cultural and digital exchanges. He cites the Punjabi saying, 'Sarhadan zameenan vanddiyan ne, dil nahin' (Borders divide lands, not hearts).
Workplace Bias Against Women
Jasleen Kaur Arora from Jalandhar writes apropos of 'A daycare crisis, a workforce crisis', highlighting that countries like New Zealand have shown that parenthood and leadership can coexist. She points to former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, who openly embraced motherhood while serving in office. Arora laments that in India, many women continue to face conscious or unconscious bias in the workplace. She calls on companies and families to recognize that raising a family is not solely a woman's responsibility but a shared social responsibility. Employer-supported childcare, flexible work arrangements, and equitable parental support are not privileges but essential measures for building an inclusive and productive workforce. Investing in families today is an investment in the nation's future.
US Foundations Under Trump
PL Singh, by email, comments on 'The US turns 250, Trump makes it all about himself'. He notes that the idea of natural rights of inalienable freedom found its greatest expression in the US. Donald Trump is seen by his critics as undermining the foundations on which the American story was built, ranging from its universities to its commitment to free trade. Singh questions whether Trump is the architect of this erosion or its symptom. Since the fall of communism in Europe and an end to the Cold War, the US has seen itself as the lone superpower, but China has emerged as a capable competitor.
China as Aggressor
Sham Murari Sharma from Chandigarh responds to 'India-Japan ties should not target third party: China', asserting that it is China which has attacked India militarily many times in the past on one pretext or another. It is China which has usurped Indian territory, and it was China that helped Pakistan when India launched Operation Sindoor. Sharma argues that China should look within itself for what it is preaching and doing so cunningly to corner India, a peace-loving country, to satiate its hunger for expansion. India believes in its policy of live and let live and does not follow China's aggressive policy.
Right to Protest is Constitutional
Abhyam Sharma from Pathankot writes with reference to 'Right to protest', stating that dissent is integral to democracy. Merely because citizens resent unpalatable policies or decisions of the government—without indulging in violence or disrupting government employees in their duty—dubbing them as a threat to peace and security and filing FIRs against them becomes unconstitutional. The application of wise discretion and sound principles related to life and liberty by the executive must have the sanction of the judiciary. The Bombay High Court has found externment orders passed by the executive to be unreasonable and unconstitutional. Nothing political should be read into the court's decision.
Religious Institutions Above Politics
BS Kakkar from Ontario, Canada, refers to 'Devotees at Golden Temple asked to remove IDs bearing CM's photo', noting that I-cards are official identification issued by the government, not political campaign material. The action gives the unfortunate impression of an attempt to politicize a routine administrative document and could unnecessarily deepen political divisions and hostility. If the intention was to send a political message against the Chief Minister, it was inappropriate to use a sacred place for that purpose. Religious institutions should remain above partisan politics and welcome every devotee with equal dignity and respect, irrespective of political affiliations.
