A blow to military morale, equity

Apropos of ‘The military awaits a fair deal’; the NFU (non-functional financial upgradation) is a policy that grants automatic pay elevation to senior officers of Organised Group ‘A’ Services, including the armed forces, when their batchmates in the Indian Administrative Service are promoted. However, its selective application has created a glaring inequality. The armed forces — despite their unique responsibilities, harsher service conditions and earlier retirements — have been unjustly excluded from this benefit. This exclusion is not just an administrative anomaly, it is a stark injustice that undermines morale and the principle of fairness.

Col SS Chauhan (retd), Mohali

Don’t let personality cult thrive

Refer to ‘AAP lessons from defectors who matter little’; the grassroots level honest party workers should get plum posts in the organisation, but at the time of nomination for Rajya Sabha, they are callously sidelined in favour of the rich and powerful. In the absence of clarity of vision, personality cult thrives and it is natural for leaders to get disenchanted. Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav and Kumar Vishwas were victims of this political conundrum. In politics, it is not pragmatic to expect party leaders to remain in a bind permanently yet the questions of political vision and ideological commitments do arise.

Raj Bahadur Yadav, Fatehabad

Community involvement essential

Refer to ‘Women fight chitta’; in a part of Shimla district, women have taken the lead against the chitta crisis, stepping beyond domestic roles to organise vigilance groups, patrol at night and guide addicts toward rehabilitation. Their lived experience helps them detect early signs of addiction and its impact on families. Policing alone cannot solve the problem; community action is essential. Government initiatives are useful, but must be backed by strong support systems, safety and awareness.

Sikandar Bansal, Shimla

Open wounds of Partition

With reference to ‘A final goodbye to Kupwara official from across LoC’; it is a grim reminder of the human aspect of drawing geographical borders. Only the affected people can feel the associated emotional trauma, like the Partition that resulted in history’s largest migration and genocide. The psyche of the civilian population of the composite states of J&K, West Bengal and Punjab, brutally bruised in 1947 remains unhealed. The wounds continue to fester leading to unrest in these areas till today.

DV Sharma, Mukerian

New political order needed

Our politicians never want to retire from active politics, despite their age and numerous stints. This does not augur well for a dynamic, vibrant and buoyant democracy like India. So fix the number of stints and age limit for our politicians in order to infuse new blood, verve and vigour. The old decadent order must make way for a metamorphosis which we all must espouse and welcome. We must expand and reorganise the democratic process rather than limiting it by revising electoral rolls and excluding many people. What has been administered in the past has withstood the test of time. Frequent and mindless experimentations spell disaster.

Jarnail Singh Brar, Bathinda

Old-age homes not the answer

Nowadays, the number of old-age homes in our society is increasing rapidly. This should make us reflect on how we are treating our elders. In earlier times, elderly people were given the highest respect in the family. Important decisions in the household were often made based on their advice. However, today people are under so much pressure of work and making both ends meet that they are unable to give time to their parents. As a result, many elderly people are forced to live in old-age homes. Old people need love and support more than money. They spend their entire lives working hard for their children, now it is our duty to cater to their needs without complaint.

Manpreet, Jalandhar