Apropos Targeting the Black Bucks (June 26), lots of people have been arrested since the liberalisation of the economy began for allegedly violating VABAL (the right explanation should stand as ‘value-based advance looting’ scheme), FERA, white-collar crimes, smuggling of drugs and other related business. But only FIRs have been registered against them. Those who are influential have obtained anticipatory bail, and no one has really been punished, blacklisted or sent to prison. We rejoice in drum-beating and frame laws full of loopholes to shield such culprits. We are all thieves who protect each other. The NFL ( read as—never find the loot) scam investigation, only illustrates my point further.
V. Radhu, Bombay
Did you publish the story, The Old Man and the Dam (June 26), to please the author or to advertise that Ajit Bhattacharjea had recently been to Tehri? By publishing such travelogues, you don’t serve the cause of environment which is dear to some of us. I expected an analysis on why the ’60s movement is shrouded in controversy. And on why, despite scientific opinion weighing heavily against the project, the Government is still going ahead with it. After the cover story on the power crisis, we expected a story on the dam from a power-crisis perspective.
Shalini Sharma, New Delhi
This refers to Baptism by Ire (June 19), on J.H. Patel being made chief minister of Karnataka. His jumbo-size cabinet was probably the result of pressure exerted by ‘kingmakers’. Now a storm is blowing in Karnataka with R.K. Hegde’s expulsion. He is one of the founder leaders of the Janata Dal and has played a crucial role in building it up in Karnataka. He enjoys support from party workers and some state ministers. One hopes that this storm will subside without causing much damage.
A. Jacob Sahayam, Thiruvananthapuram
India rejected Pakistan’s stand on the Kashmir issue in the light of the UN resolutions, wanting to resolve the matter as per the Simla Accord (AHidden Agenda, June 19). Article 6 specifies that ‘both governments shall meet for the final settlement’. In his book Bungling in Kashmir, Prof Balraj Madhok comments: "The Simla Agreement not only reopened the Kashmir question but also made Pakistan party to the final settlement of that question. This nullified the oft-repeated stand of India that Kashmir is not negotiable and that Pakistan has no locus stan-di in Kashmir." A.P. Venkateswaran, who is quoted in the article, corroborates this view.
Tariq Shah, Sopore, Kashmir
India rejected Pakistan’s stand on the Kashmir issue in the light of the UN resolutions, wanting to resolve the matter as per the Simla Accord (AHidden Agenda, June 19). Article 6 specifies that ‘both governments shall meet for the final settlement’. In his book Bungling in Kashmir, Prof Balraj Madhok comments: "The Simla Agreement not only reopened the Kashmir question but also made Pakistan party to the final settlement of that question. This nullified the oft-repeated stand of India that Kashmir is not negotiable and that Pakistan has no locus stan-di in Kashmir." A.P. Venkateswaran, who is quoted in the article, corroborates this view.
Tariq Shah, Sopore, Kashmir
It was embarrassing to read Still Pursuing the Nathuram Dream (June 19). Why can’t people understand there was no way of maintaining peace in India during the Partition? Of late, it has become fashionable to abuse Gandhiji. In my opinion, Gopal Godse should’ve been hanged instead of being imprisoned.
Sharat Chandra, Saharsa, Bihar
V.S. Mani’s reactions in Letters (June 19) to the views expressed in The Great Divide (May 22) were typically south Indian. Historians fail to mention any leader from the South, because of the absence of any. Leaders like Gopalachari, Kamraj and Krishna Menon came to limelight for their pro-administration bias during the English rule and in the Nehruvian era, and had no outstanding statesmanship to lead the Indians.
Rina Basu Ray, Calcutta
Sagarika Ghose, in the article Carry on Speaker (June 12), has rightly said "the informality of the speaker is almost a shock to the public. The speaker should not try to be funny". Using phrases like "come on yaar" do not become the chairperson of an august house of the world’s largest democracy. Moreover, a speaker should be above party politics. His comments to BJP MPs during the first vote of confidence "your minister is speaking—your PM is speaking" were avoidable. But the most surprising comment was when an Opposition member said: "I oppose the BJP’S confidence motion," and Sangma stealthily said: "Which we all must". Those listening carefully, including me, heard it clearly. The chair may be on ‘its legs’ but should use its head too.
Sudhir Arora, Ambala
The feature on prohibition, To Bottle up, or to Uncork (June 5),was well balanced. Prohibition has already failed in Bombay. A comprehensive national policy on prohibition might work to some extent, but the cooperation of voluntary organisations—especially religious ones—needs to be sought. The government should work honestly and sincerely to implement the scheme by setting aside its concerns over revenue loss. Singleness of purpose is the keynote to the success of prohibition.
Amarjit Singh Pabla, Nawan Shahr, Gujarat
Referring to Money Speaks Many Languages (June 5), some factual errors have been committed by the writer about Telugu language satellite channels. The article fails to note that the pioneering satellite channel in Telugu is Gemini TV, which started telecast in February ’95, and not Eenadu TV, which went on air only in August ’95. Logically, Gemini TV is not a Tamil channel competing with Sun TV. Gemini TV is a leading Telugu channel, and is carried on the Sun TV platform on Rimsat.
V. Sreenivas, Hyderabad
The four-nation Singer Cup tournament will be hosted by Sri Lanka and not India as mentioned in Azhar, Pass on the Baton (July 10). Also, Azharuddin delayed the declaration in the second Test of the 1994-95 West Indies’ tour here at Nagpur, not Bombay. The errors are regretted.
Editor
Apropos Time to Decide ( June 26), now that the Indian Government has refused to sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), it will be interesting to see how the so-called protector of global peace—the US—reacts to the decision. At one time, India had championed the cause of the CTBT but today the nuclear scenario has changed completely and is nothing but an infringement on our sovereignty. How can we accept it when it allows big nations like the US the right to retain their existing stockpile of nuclear weapons while putting a complete cap on the nuclear capabilities of other nations? India must make it clear that its nuclear policy cannot be determined by any foreign power. Our Parliament should also adopt a resolution on nuclear policy which sends a clear signal to the big nations that as long as they build nuclear weapons, it becomes a ‘sovereign right’ of India to build its own nuclear arsenal. Our politicians must bury their differences for the sake of national interests to make it a success.
A. S. Rahman, Madras
