The Saleable Sex (September 4), was incisive and eminently readable. However, I feel that injustice was done by clubbing my book with those of other women authors mentioned in the article. Some lines from my book, Flames of Fervour, have been quoted out of context, tending to generate the impression that this book is just banking on sex. Itis not about sex at all. On the contrary it is a work of political fiction—the first book exploring the fallout of the Babri Masjid demolition on human relationships.
I admire the fairness and research that is reflected in your style of writing, whether it be an article or the ‘foreword’ of a book. I look forward to a fair review of my book, in one of your forthcoming issues.
Anita P. Ahuja, New Delhi
Apropos Past Demons Strike Again (August 28), Sukh Ram became the Bhukh Ram of wealth. And has now become the Dukh Ram for the Congress, which has wasted no time in suspending him from the primary membership under instructions from all time pious president Narasimha Rao, a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Don’t forget the stout defence put forward by Rao to ensure a clear chit to the former communications minister? Wasn’t it a case of one cheat coming to the aid of another? Instances after instances have come to light showing that Rao had his fingers in every dirty pie, directly or indirectly. The history of most ministers in Rao’s government shows that it was an assembly of scoundrels professing to be holy. It will be a day of great rejoicing when the devils will have been exposed in their true garb.
Daulat V. Sampat, Bombay
Apropos The Great Telecom Scam (September 4), the properties owned by Sukh Ram should be declared national monuments of corruption so that people can go and at least watch the good use public money is put to and the doings of a stable Congress Raj!
Kanwar Yogendra, Simla
The detailed report about the raid on Sukh Ram’s properties was well done. Full credit goes to the CBI team who effectively conducted the enquiry along-with the IT department offic-ials. Unfortunately, as per the existing search and seizure provisions of the IT, 40 per cent of the amount seized has to be returned to him.
Ministers and MPs must be made to furnish an annual assets and liabilities statement along with their various other returns—wealth tax, income tax, gift tax etc.
Akhilesh K. Sah, Faizabad
Lo! It is boom time for scandals and scams. Corruption fulltime, and work when I can seems to be the motto, our politicians cram. Their sensitivity blunted their reaction dulled, we have worthies who are complacent and lulled.
We even have ex-ministers going to jail, posing for photographs with a smile!
T.V. Krishnan, Madras
Kudos for the most startling disclosures causing the potential license fee loss of Rs 45,000 crore to the nation just to make Rs 1,500 crore in kickbacks which is just a little over three per cent while the ongoing percentage is supposed to be 10 per cent! Did Rao not know what was going on in the Ministry of Telecommunications?
R.N. Vaswani Bombay
It was rather ambitious of you to try to cover the whole story of ‘Sukhram’s bhrashtac-har’ in a single issue. If you are interested you can make a serial of it at least for a period of 36 weeks!
K.S.N. Raju, Chipurupalle (AP)
Referring to A Brisk Rap on the Knuckles (August 28), Joginder Singh was appointed director of the CBI after the retirement of K. Vijaya Rama Rao, the appointee of the ex-prime minister and ex-chairman of the CBI—P.V. Narasimha Rao, controlling the entire CBI Setup. Soon after taking charge he met Rao, for ‘guidance’. The Supreme Court rightly criticised this act and Singh immediately offered an unconditional apology before the apex court for meeting politicians who are under CBI scrutiny.
On August 16, Joginder Singh averred the seizure of Rs 3 crore in cash from the residence of Sukh Ram and booked him. Runu Ghosh, director (finance) in DOT, was arrested after 1 kg of gold was found at her residence on August 17. Patalu Rama Rao, head of Andhra Pradesh Industrial Development Corporation was unearthed from Pataal by the efficient CBI in connection with the contract given to ARM. Your correspondent has focussed on the CBI and compelled the readers to think how ‘Ram Rajya’, the dream of Gandhiji has been transformed into ‘Rao Rajya’.
M.K. Huq, Hyderabad
The conduct of Joginder Singh, is highly reprehensible. He lacks commonsense, tact, diplomacy and devotion to duty. To hob nob with an ex-prime minister under a cloud and other ex-MPs only showed his lack of independence. To do this in spite of specific orders from the Supreme Court only shows his defiance. For the sake of the country’s well being, he should retire or be sent as our ambassador to Haiti, Zanzibar or Chile.
Maj. E.N. Viswanath (Retd), Tiruchy
Due to paucity of space you have deprived your discerning readers of their chance to express their views through your Letters column in your September 4 issue by reducing the section to half a page. It seems your first priority was to Nirma, Berger Paints and Siemens commercial advertisements. Your commercial thinking should not be at our cost. Outlook’s Letters column is the best amongst magazines and our wait for seven days has been in vain. We feel cheated.
I hope you will never lease out this space for any commercial advertisements in future. If money is your prime criteria you may hike the price of Outlook to Rs 12, but not at the cost of the Letters space.
T.R. Anand, West Bengal
In Selling off God’s Acres (September 4), Fr Oswald Gracias was mentioned as Fr Oswald Pereira. The error is regretted.
