Raymond M. Silveria in the ‘Letters’ page of the June 26 issue has rightly pointed out that a few Brahmins cannot determine the eating habits of all Indians. Ever since the ruling whites were replaced by the ruling brown Brahmins of India, this minuscule minority has tried to impose their ‘Vedic whims’ on the rest of India. George Fernandes’ honeymoon with the BJP shows he is now comfortable with people whose ‘ideologies’ are diametrically opposite to the ‘socialist’ doctrine he once professed when he began his dubious political career. Fernandes has come a full circle. It’s only (political) oblivion next.
E. Jeyasingh, Madras
The article Train to Nowhere (June 26) was simply superb. It was well-researched and brought out the facts well. As one of the officials closely associated with the Konkan Railway right from its commencement, I can say that had the Centre been more sympathetic towards funding it instead of creating obstacles, the officials would have been able to devote their efforts to finding solutions to the technical problems in time. Where genuine relaxation is required in the interest of the nation, the top bureaucrats are firm with rules, regulations and procedure. But when it comes to individual interests, rules and regulations can be flouted, siphoning crores of national money only to create ‘scandals’ later.
Outlook should exert pressure so that this important artery of the Indian railway network is completed without delay.
Pius George, Bangalore
This refers to the article CTBT—Time to Decide (June 26). Even at the 1955 UN General Assembly, India and the USSR had proposed a ban on all nuclear tests, which till date remains an issue of non-compliance by nuclear-weapon states.India being the proponent of ‘complete disarmament’ must keep the CTBT issue ‘on hold’ till it establishes political stability. The members of the UF Government tend to speak out of turn and must realise that the nuclear issue is of national consequence and any dilution from the existing stand will tell on the national ethos.
Jagadish Nagar, Bangalore
Barnala’s experience in Amina-bad, Lucknow, in 1994 (The Culprit was a Dye Stick, June 26), when "his flowing grey beard was coloured jet black" and "he was mistaken for a terrorist and arrested in Lucknow", was a new experience for him but not for the common man who is terrorised in many ways. Barnala has gained his experience of the problems of the masses, and now as an MP should try to press Parliament to make the necessary changes in the Constitution to improve the problem he faced as ‘Kartar Singh’. It should be taken as a refresher course for our politicians.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
By expelling R.K. Hegde from the party (Taming a Rival, June 26) the Janata Dal leadership has avoided another inevitable Charan Singh experiment at the Centre. The leadership should get rid of Congress and BJP sympathisers in the UF and they should be done away with now so that they do not create problems after six months. Despite the upper middle-class’ restlessness and criticism, the coalition this time is going to stay. It reflects the shift of Indian politics from centralised one-party rule to decentralised multi-party rule. When India itself is a social coalition of different identities and cultures, why can’t the Government be a federal coalition of different regions and aspirations? The ‘coalition culture’ should be made a norm of established democracy, as stated by David Butler, the guru of psephology.
Kanwar Yogendra, Shimla
For Pakistan’s politicians, the Kashmir issue is the staple diet (Hidden Agenda, June 19). A solution would lead to unemployment for them. Keeping the issue alive, they can enjoy political power and bilateral dialogue dramas, while poverty eradication, unemployment, and agricultural programmes are expressed in empty rhetoric in their election manifestos!
R.G. Taranath, Davangere
The second term of the AGP (Reign of Woes, June 5) was very unfortunate. In the first week the superintendent of police of Tinsukia was killed, the executive editor of a Assamese popular daily paper was gunned down, and Bodo militants had ravaged Santhals in Bongaigaon and Kokrajhar districts. There was a lack of basic amenities and over 1,50,000 people were displaced.Assam’s new government should investigate the case, punish the criminals and provide aid to the affected people.
Hemo Ojha, Guwahati
While India is inviting foreign tie-ups, it still lacks power which is the basic infrastructure for all the projects, and for the country’s advancement. Opening up power-generation projects to the private sector is a welcome step. But side-by-side there is also the need to give up electricity distribution and to invite foreign joint-ventures with gas-based technology due to abrupt monsoons and shortage of coal. As power projects have a long gestation period, special incentives are needed to offset lack of funds. If proper planning for power generation, distribution, savings in consumption is not done now, the entire set-up is going to be ‘powerless’, irrespective of which government remains in ‘power’.
A.K. Shah, Faizabad
Your June 5 article on Palace in Peril contains several inaccuracies that mislead readers. The photograph published is of the Kalari, a property with no legal connections to Gaythri Mehta or C.T. Chacko. The building that was demolished was the Venganad Kovillagam. The two properties are physically and legally separate.
The Kalari is legally owned by my family, consisting of my sister, mother, aunt, uncle, and myself as decreed by the courts. What is this partition that you speak of that was never ratified by law? Is there another law besides the court’s that you can educate me about?
The fate of the Kalari Palace is not in the hands of Jaya Jaitly. She has had no discussions with the legal heirs as to their plans. And she has no right to involve the Archaeological Survey of India with regard to the Kalari.
Jairaj Ramachandran, New York, USA
This refers to the article Taming a Rival (June 26). The age of scams is in and that of sagacity and honesty is out. The irony of today’s politics is that a former prime minister, who is neck deep in multi-scams, lends unconditional support to the present Prime Minister, who was accused of nepotism and abuse of power while he was chief minister of Karnataka seeks to settle scores with his political rival Hegde, over an alleged phone-tapping scandal in the past, with the help of Laloo Prasad Yadav, whose government in Bihar is accused of having a hand in the fodder scandal. In India, while poverty corrupts a few, power corrupts scores of politicians.
S.M. Kompella, Kakinada
