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National Solidarity

Sir,

Dr Radha Krishnan has aptly said that National Integration cannot be built by brick and mortar, it cannot be built by chisel and hammer, it has to grow silently in the mind and hearts of men.

Apart from constitutional safeguards, worthy administrative changes, removal of social and economic disparities, cultivation of common values, the contributory role of teachers cannot be denied. The India of tomorrow has to be built by the younger generation but at this moment a very serious question haunts us. Does this younger generation have some emotional and intellectual awareness of the fact that caste communal and regional loyalties do not fit in democracy and that it has to widen its mental horizons so that India's unity is a reality in their lives. The answer of this pertinent question is equally serious. The younger generation do have an idea of national unity. Having an ''idea'' of national integration is one thing and having the ''Feeling'' of national integration is another thing.

Unless an individual feels for the country, develops emotions and sentiments for it, his actions will be frivolous and humbug. I am very sorry to say that our school curriculum only provides ''Idea'' to the children and does not strengthen feeling. However, this feeling is not taught but it is caught. Few days back I had an opportunity to visit a School where children were celebrating festivals of northern India i.e Holi, Eid, Diwali, Christmas, Gurpurab, Dussehra, Lohri and so on. Students managed the show with all the military precision. The idea was to depict unity in diversity. I was spell bound and tears welled up in my eyes as I saw the proceedings. This is feeling, my dear readers.

Therefore, in the ultimate analysis much depends upon the teacher. With his secular outlook, he can generate the feelings of nation-hood, while with his sectarian outlook he would accentuate narrow thinking on the part of the pupils.

I am dead sure that our dream of national integration and united India is not far too realise. Let our object be one country, our whole country, to be cherished in all our hearts to be defended by all our hands. One thing is very important to keep in mind that first of all we should think for the country, and thereafter for ourselves.

Yours etc...
Ramesh Sharma
Govt. High School
Nud Samba.

Seats belts

Sir,

Trust Government Departments for wooden headed application of rules and laws. Imagination and common sense are given the go-by. For example, take the enforcement of vehicle seat belts by the Traffic Police. These seat belts are meant to prevent a throw forward of front seat passangers in case of a crash at high speed. This can happen on a high way where a seat belt is useful. But to use seat belts within city limits is pointless since one can hardly move. To be forced to slip these on when one has to visit four or five places close by does not make sense.

The Traffic Department may please reconsider their orders.

Yours etc...
A S Jamwal
Exchange Road,
Jammu.

About Agha family

Sir,

The narrative about the Agha family of Srinagar in the Daily Excelsior (Magazine section) 13.10.2002 reminded me of my class-fellow Agha Ashraf Ali. Ashraf and myself joined S P College, Srinagar in June 1938 AD after passing Matriculation examination from the then Punjab university, Lahore. I well remember the talkative nature of Ashraf but soft side of his temperament was quite evident. And I have no hesitation in admitting the fact that Ashraf was comparatively better student than myself, possibly having been the son of a wealthy father he must have been having home-tutor while my parents could hardly afford that luxury. Ashraf's nature of talking too much still rings in my ears. And he was a very good class mate.

In later days while I was working as Superintendent in the Civil Secretariat, Education Department, College Section, Ashraf, having acquired further degrees, was working as Principal, College of Education, Srinagar. First time when he came to the Secretariat on some Govt job, finding me there, pulled me up from the chair and hugged me tight, sat with me and talked about our old college days. It was so pleasing to see him after such a long time. We completed college education in June 1942 and thereafter I saw him when he came to the Secretariat. possibly July 1973/74.

Ashra's mother Begum Zaffar Ali, daughter of Agha Syeed Hussain, the then Minister in the Dogra rule of the valley of Maharaja Pratap Singh, was the first Muslim girl to take to education when the entire Kashmir Muslim population could not afford doing so. Begum Zaffar Ali's brother, i.e Agha Syeed Hussain's son, Agha Syeed Ahmad functioned as Registrar, Cooperative Department for a pretty long time and also had a stint as Secretary to Government, General Department for a short period during the Prime Ministership of late Shamad-u-din. I was then woking as an Assistant in the same office which I left after serving there for 22 years continuously. Agha Syeed Hussain's house stands erect in its old style just a few yards on the opposite left of the present Civil Secretariat. It has now been purchased by the Government for housing offices of the State Government.

Agha Ashraf's body-built, his facial expression and talkative nature ran through my recollective elements when I went through the article. I wish good luck to the children of Agha Ashraf Ali, wherever they may be.

Yours etc...
R K Sher
Jammu.

Reservation for women

Sir,

It refers to the unanimous but realistic apprehension of women members of the Parliament belonging to different parties that guilty youngsters of shocking day-time rape of student of Maulana Azad Medical College may escape arrest or punishment. With sex-related crimes increasing in our male-dominated society including even the political community, it is high time that women may now be given their justified right of at least 33 percent reservation (without any ‘compromised’ dilution) in legislature to enable women legislators to have an effective say in the legislative houses against male-brutality in our male-dominated society. Since male-dominated Parliaments are never expected to give justice to women, the President and the Apex Court should find ways to fulfill assurances of various Presidents and Prime Ministers of different fronts and parties in this regard.

Yours etc...
Madhu Agrawal
1775 Kucha Lattushah
Dariba Delhi 110006 (India)