Talking about Emergency
The President of India mentioning the Emergency that was imposed by the Congress-led government in 1975, in her first address to Parliament after the 2024 general election, was unusual (Page 1, June 28). There is no doubt that the Emergency episode was a nightmare but most people in India have forgotten about it. Though the speech had the line, “My Government is continuously working for lasting peace in the North-East”, there has been no mention of the burning strife in Manipur. It is a pity that the ruling party and its government at the Centre talk about history instead of debating contemporary issues.
Kshirasagara Balaji Rao,
Hyderabad
I am 85 years old and have worked in the central government. The attempt to harp on the Emergency is unwarranted. That Mrs Gandhi was re-elected after the Emergency must not be forgotten. The leader also expressed her regrets over the events. The people of the country understood what had happened and acted. I do wish the people of this nation now recognise the wolves and the power mongers of today, who, tactfully and with political ingenuity, are clandestinely engaged in cutting the roots of democracy.
Pulipaka Moorthy Kumar,
Nazerpet, Tenali, Andhra Pradesh
It is not necessary for the BJP to illuminate the Congress’s dark past. The party has faced the consequences of its actions. The ruling party seems to be unable to digest the changed composition of the Lok Sabha. The way parliamentary conduct has changed from day two is evidence of this.
P. Paramasivan,
Chennai
On the anniversary of the dark event in the evolution of democracy in India, there was certainly a need to keep India’s memory alive to an event that highlights the downside to the temptations of power. That the Congress, the claimant to India’s oldest political tradition, chose to go on the defensive, is a reminder that remorse is a rare emotion in politics.
Jayanthy Subramaniam,
Mumbai
NEET MDS, counselling
I had appeared for the NEET MDS 2024 which was conducted despite protests from aspirants of there being inadequate time between notification and examination. It was conducted in March, instead of February, with the notification in late January. The authorities went ahead with the exam despite a court ruling that the exams of NEET MDS and NEET PG should be conducted around the same time as the counselling process. The recent developments of paper leaks, the NTA’s deeds and indefinite postponement of NEET PG 2024 lead one to question the decision to declare that the counselling for NEET MDS will begin from July 1.
Unlike NEET PG which is attempted by around two lakh people, the MDS exam has around 25,000 aspirants every year, in the backdrop of there being less than 1,000 government seats available across India. Our cause always goes unnoticed as we are not considered to be an important part of the medical fraternity.
Gayathri,
Thiruvananthapuram
Fourth bridge collapse
Reports of bridges collapsing in Bihar are proof of the extent of corruption. When loot is the norm, there is more in store for us (Inside pages, June 27).
V. Lakshmanan,
Tirupur, Tamil Nadu