Letter to Editor – November 15, 2021

The ambush attack on an Assam Rifles officer, his family and his staff is shocking. Questions are being asked from this incident and there is only one hope that intelligence will improve.

It is clear that the Naxalites are on the back foot and there may be a possibility of surrender. However, this should be a moment of serious thought. Violence in any form is not the solution and there should be other ways to show reason to the Naxalites. Internal security needs out-of-the-box thinking (Page 1,

14 November).

Secunderabad

Despite its long historical ties with that country, it is sad to see India in the situation of an almost marginal player in the emerging situation in Afghanistan. The State Department appears to have failed to anticipate a quick turnaround following the Joe Biden administration’s decision to withdraw troops from Afghanistan. No one knows whether the Americans kept India in the loop or not, but the end result is that Pakistanis are in the driver’s seat again. Despite this lot of resources we have put in that country to rebuild the economy and infrastructure of that country. One is tempted to conclude that our policy-making needs a rethink.

Bangalore

The judicial suggestion of a two-day lockdown in Delhi (November 14) may not be a permanent panacea due to rising air pollution. This move is sure to affect the livelihood of daily wagers. In the past, progressive steps have been taken such as CNG fueled public transport and peripheral highways for heavy traffic, thus restricting their entry into the national capital, but a growing population has offset these benefits. The root cause is one-sided development. If serious priority is given to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, it can reduce the level of pollution.

Noida, Uttar Pradesh

The two-day prestigious event, ‘Lit for Life 2021’, was a treasure trove for the readers as far as