Reclaiming PoK

This refers to ‘PoK part of India, expect to have physical jurisdiction over it one day: Jaishankar’ (September 18). While one tends to agree with the External Affairs Minister’s well-meaning contention that Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a part of India and New Delhi expects to have physical jurisdiction over it ‘one’ day, his comment that henceforth talks with Pakistan would be only about ‘PoK’ and not on Kashmir, makes little sense.

Simply put, why ‘talk’ to a rouge state if PoK is a part of India? Moreover, will Pakistan be willing to hand over this long-held part of J&K to India amid strong voices of protest?

Needless to say, India will have to virtually ‘snatch’ the region back. But, are we really geared up for embarking upon such a decisive move? Perhaps, it may be ‘easier said than done’. Mind you, the entire world is keenly watching India’s ‘footsteps’ in J&K post-abrogation of Article 370.

Kumar Gupt

Panchkula

Fraudulent transactions

With reference to ‘Related-party deals’ (September 18), regulations mandate maintaining arm’s length transactions between related parties of two business entities to avoid any conflict of interest. As aptly brought out, these transactions are bound to happen in any business.

If left unnoticed or monitored, they may result in undue gains by promoters, directors or employees of one company at the cost of others. SEBI was able to unearth the mushrooming growth of shell companies by vested interests, who siphoned off huge amounts of money for personal gain. Though there are penal provisions for violations, in the absence of competitive boards and whistle-blowing shareholders, illegal RTP transactions cannot be easily unveiled.

Sitaram Popuri

Bengaluru

Ministers’ taxes

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath deserves commendation for doing away with the illogical practice of paying income tax of ministers from the public exchequer. One wonders why and how the anti-public policy was adopted, and why it is still prevalent in Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh.

These five States must also abolish the practice. At the very least, the Prime Minister can advise BJP-ruled States to do so, so that the remaining may follow. Salaries, perks, privileges and post-retirement benefits including pension to all those in legislature should be taken up by the Centre, rather than leaving them to the discretion of State governments.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal

Delhi

Farooq Abdullah’s arrest

The turn of events in Jammu & Kashmir has been disconcerting. Farooq Abdullah did not deserve to be booked under the Public Safety Act and arrested and jailed in his own house. Like many of his compatriots, he has only exercised his right to an opinion. Booking a leader who has served as a ‘bridge’ between the Valley and mainland India for several decades is a clear indication of the trust deficit between those in power in New Delhi and the Kashmiri leaders.

The treatment now being meted out to the three-time Chief Minister is blatant ingratitude because he has openly advocated the Valley’s continued existence as an integral part of India. The worst part is that the country’s top court has not come to his rescue and objected to his detention in lieu of his constitutionally guaranteed rights. The apex court has directed the Jammu and Kashmir government ‘to restore normalcy’ in the Valley, but ‘protect national interest’.

Moves like the detention of leaders like Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti do not help dispel the concerns about attitude regarding the Valley’s integration with the rest of India. The world’s largest democracy that it is, India must ease the restrictions and allow freedom and dissent and enable the people of the Valley to breathe easy.

G David Milton

Maruthancode

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