Sir — This refers to the article, “Still a long way to go” (August 23) by Ashwani lohani. One agrees with the writer that the celebrations and patriotic fervour were muted, perhaps, for the first time on Independence Day this year.
But one must add that the solemn occasion was marred by a few unsavoury events. The political sniping by leaders of the two national parties, with the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi making light the Prime Minister’s I-Day address to the nation and challenging him to a debate, and the shocking suspension of the diligent Uttar Pradesh IAS officer, Durga Shakti Nagpal, by the autocratic Akhilesh Yadav-led regime, were incidents that made one cringe and robbed the occasion of joy.
One wishes that more mature leaders like BJP veteran lK Advani had joined in the chorus to shun such cheap talk, at least on occasions of national importance. It is indeed appalling how low our political standards have sunk. It is time to reverse this unseemly and shocking trend.