Vigilance missing

Sir ? The report, ?Washington on ?crime emergency?? (July 24), about the recent spurt of crimes in the American capital, reminds one of the similarly worsening security standards in the Indian metros, including Calcutta. Since the police commissioner of Calcutta, Prasun Mukherjee, is busy through the day batting for Sourav Ganguly and lobbying to become the lord and master of Bengal cricket, the chief minister of West Bengal, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, may have to create the post of an additional police commissioner to handle the rising crime graph of the city.

Yours faithfully,
A.S. Mehta, Calcutta

Better late

Sir ? The report, ?Forced to retire at 46, employee wins crusade at 81? (July 21) exposes not only the sheer failure of the country?s judicial system but also the way corruption has swamped the biggest construction wing of the Union government, the Central Public Works Department. An employee of the CPWD, Keshab Pal, had to fight a legal battle for 35 years to prove that he was just 47 and not 60 when he was forced to retire in 1971. That most CPWD officials have to be bribed to get even a small work done is a well-known fact. But those who have worked with the department have been at the receiving end thus far. It is surprising that the department does not spare its own employees. Given the CPWD?s track record, Pal could, just by greasing the the departmental doctor?s palms, have got himself certified as 25 years old when he was 47. One wonders what punishment will be adequate for a doctor who can pass off a 47-year-old man as 60 and ruin the man?s career.

Yours faithfully,
Asit Kumar Mitra, Calcutta

Sir ? If Keshab Pal did not have the grit to fight his former employer, the CPWD, for 35 long years, then justice would have eluded him. The ossification test that convinced the Calcutta high court that Pal was indeed 47 when he was made to retire surely could not have taken over three decades to conduct. The legal wrangle must have cost Pal quite a large sum of money. Add to that his mental turmoil. No amount of money can compensate for what Pal has suffered. Besides, the doctor who had testified that Pal had crossed 60 in 1971 must be punished. For all we know, there might have been some complicity between the doctor and the CPWD officials who forced Pal to resign. There should be an inquiry to find out the real motive in the case.

Yours faithfully,
Subhankar Mukherjee, Burdwan

Sir ? Keshab Pal needs to be congratulated for his resilience in keeping up the fight for his right for 35 years. The youth of today might take a lesson or two from him. However, the Indian judiciary has also proved that it can help a person get his due, though it might take a little long.

Yours faithfully,
T.R. Anand, Calcutta

Parting shot

Sir ? Psychologists have long discovered that sexual crimes originate in juvenile minds (?Spurt in sexual crimes among minors?, July 18). But the reason why crimes by youngsters are on the rise is because children get exposed to sex and violence at an early age, thanks to the TV, internet and cellphones. Parents who take pride in their children?s familiarity with the computer, little realize that it also gives them easy access to pornographic sites and movies. The cell phones gifted to their children by parents are used to view obscene MMS clips and exchange messages full of sexual innuendos. If the guardians fail to keep a tab on the way their children use modern technology, then sexual crimes among minors will multiply by the day.

Yours faithfully,
Moumita Nandi, Calcutta