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Discriminationin selection

Sir,

As per the notification published in your esteemed newspaper regarding the training of Food Inspector in the year 2002, it is reported that there are great bunglings in the selection of the candidates. They neither made any criteria nor published any list of selected candidates. All the selected candidates are from Kashmir Division and Jammu Division has been ignored completely. Most of the selected candidates did not apply for the same and they have been illegally recruited.

Therefore, it has become a routine that Jammuites are being ignored. So we would like to draw the kind attention of Mr Kadal Bajju, Principal Secretary, Health and Med. Education J&K, G M Bhatt, Controller, Drug and Food Organisation (J&K) and Minister of Health and Family Welfare Mian Altaf Ahmed towards this grave injustice.

Yours etc...
Brij Mohan
Vijay Kumar & Others.

Unveiling History

Sir,

Confidence, faith and love for freedom have been foremost, traits of Islamic culture since centuries. So it is very surprising to find this "Veil or Purdah" culture in Islam as it contradicts its basic principles of equality and freedom for all.

Well ‘Jawahar Lal Nehru" has the answer. Nehru in his book "Glimpses of World History" says that in earlier times before the conquest of Europe, Arab women did not observe purdah, nor they were secluded or hidden away. They had put an end to the Eastern Roman and Persian empire but themselves succumbed to many evil traits of these empires. It was mainly due to the influence of constitutional and Persia that seclusion of women began among Arabs. Harem system was another evil influence of former on Islamic culture.

So in todays context there is no point in continuance of this terrible burden of Purdah culture, and Islamic society should outrightly reject it and should follow the foot steps of Great "Kamal Pasha’ who found it against one of the basic principles of Islam i.e. "Love for freedom".

Yours etc...
Sumer Razdan,
Kamal Nagar, Bantalab, Jammu.

Gap between words and deeds

Sir,

Between words and deeds there is always a hiatus but once this difference goes unassumingly large then the men have to be judged not by words but by deeds alone.

The rulers in USA have time again been approached by Indian authorities about cross border terrorism sponsored by Pakistan & its allies and everytime justice & fair deal was assured by them. This nation is indeed thankful to the Super Power for its intervention at Kargil which would have otherwise culminated into loss of thousands of more lives. But the fact of the matter remained that the USA had full knowledge of training camps in Pakistan & Afghanistan & it never acted in conviction to end this epidemic which has ultimately taken to its fold the World Trade Centre & Pentagon.

The recent statement by the President Bush asking all the nations in the world to either side with the US & Pakistan pushes every citizen in the world to a deep concern and places certain questions on the anvil. Will the USA be sincere in taking the war to some logical conclusion of it is one more act of diplomacy to over come identity crisis? Will the USA in the process confine itself to the law of war as approved by UN resolutions and conventions? will the USA contain itself only to the extent of eliminating terrorism? And before a nation like India offers its resources etc. it must consider the magnitute of hiatus between their past words & deeds.

Yours etc...
J P Sharma
Ward No. 2,
Bishnah, Jammu.

Raise pension

Sir,

In view of various representations received from pensioners and family pensioners it is requested to the Government to sympathetically consider the following demands and issue favorable orders as soon as possible

i) Enhancement of medical allowance and reimbursement of medical expenditure incurred by a pensioner in a Hospital;

ii) The present minimum pension/ Family Pension of Rs 1275/- p.m. allowed to a pension be raised to Rs 2000/- p.m.

Regarding the enhancement of medical allowance and reimbursement of medical expenditure, it may said that this age is prone to various disease. Hence require medical attention, which is available at a high price.

In the land mark judgement of DS. Nakara and others Versus Union of India (AIR 1983, SC 130), the Apex Court, interalia, held that a pension Scheme consistent with available sources must provide that the pensioner would be able to live free from want with decency, and self respect. We owe it to the pensioners that they live not merely exist. Further that pension is a Social Welfare measure, rendering Socioeconomic justice to those who in the heyday of their life toiled for the employer on an assurance that in their old age they would not be left in the lurch.

We are thankful to the Government that they have raised the pension from Rs 375/- p.m. to Rs 1275/- with effect from 1- 1- 1996 we however submit that Rs 75/- on these days inadequate to maintain a family of a pensioner i.e his wife and children in view of the present cost of living due to inflation and constant rise in prices of all essential commodities, house hold requirements and medicines.

Yours etc...
J K Padha
President,
For All Jammu J&K Pensioners
Association (Regd) Jammu.