Your report on the Navy (Admirals Don’t Fly, September 25) is worrisome. The Government’s reluctance to allocate adequate funds reflects its disinterest in maintaining and enhancing the strength of our naval forces. This would weaken their ability to ensure the nation’s security and sovereignty. Moreover, when our neighbouring countries appear to be busy acquiring the latest technology and state-of-the-art equipment, it appears ridiculous on the part of our Government not to make sufficient budget provisions for defence. No country, no matter how big or developed, can survive unless it maintains a strong line of defence.
P. Gautampurkar, Kota
A caption in the article reads ‘India’s second aircraft carrier, Vikrant, is to be sent to the scrapyard in February ’97’. This is factually incorrect. The carrier is Viraat, not Vikrant.
Ratan Srivastava, Allahabad
What After Thackeray? (September 25), sadly reflects how our country has been unable to produce a leader of the calibre of Indira Gandhi. She was the ultimate leader, having all the qualities that a popular leader of the masses should have.
Balasaheb Thackeray formed the Shiv Sena by capitalising on the provincial sentiments of Maharashtrians. The sad part is that, after 1990, he has changed his strategy and cashed in on the communal views of a section of people for narrow political gains. After the demolition of the Babri Masjid, Saamna’s provocative propagation gave a boost to the Shiv Sainiks’ hooliganism. The party can have a great future only if the Sena supremo changes his communal and provincial outlook.
Debanjan Banerjee, Calcutta
This refers to Beauty and the Big B (September 18). Many reasons have been cited not to allow the Miss World pageant in Bangalore. Logistical ones like traffic problems or lack of sufficient accommodation make sense, but ‘saving’ our culture from its alleged polluting effects is preposterous.
Do Nanjundaswamy and Sasikala actually believe that a historic civilisation like ours will suffer because a few beautiful models will visit our country?
Rahul Gaur, Gurgaon
Amitabh Bachchan said that Bangalore is a healthy mix of the developed and traditional India. But is the vulgar exposure of women’s bodies a part of Bangalore’s culture or Indian tradition? It is sad to note that arguments of globalisation are being used to encourage shows that exploit. Does India need semi-nude women to globalise its rich culture?
A.S. Rahman, Madras
It sounds irksomely myopic that some student and women organis-ations abhor the idea of holding the Miss World Pageant on the pretext of sexual abuse, unhealthy exhibitionism and erosion of social values. This smacks of hypocrisy. Hosting the event, especially after honour and fame were bestowed upon two Indians—Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai—would help rake in precious foreign exchange and the tourism industry would boom. If Bangalore could be reckoned for hosting international cricketing events and the SAARC summit, why should there be any major hiccups about hosting this event in particular?
Subhashis Ray, Rourkela
Will the event bring back Ban-galore’s depreciating glory? Global publicity, coupled with hardcore competition (since many businessmen will open shop here), migration and rivalry is all we will get—adding to the chaos. All this just for a fortnight of vulgar opulence meant solely for the ‘creme de la creme’ of society ?
Zahid H. Javali, Bangalore
The cover story Can BSP Blunt Saffron Edge? (October 2), predicts the outcome and may prove to be true. But more than anything else, your design department’s visualisation and conceptualisation of thought, particularly in creating the cover, indicates the ‘genius at work’. Hats off to you.
Coming to the crux of the matter, the dice is cast and the winner is the one who overtakes his opponent’s coins by convincing moves. Except for the BJP—which is the only party having any credibility—the other parties are groping in the wilderness. With the Congress leadership in turmoil, the party is drifting aimlessly and clutching at straws thrown by the BSP. The inseparable twins, Kanshi Ram and Mayawati, even with the support of Abdullah Bukhari may not be able to garner communal votes, as they seem to make for strange bed-fellows.
Ajit Singh is the ‘chameleon’ among the politicians and his sole aim seems to become Ek-din-ka-Sultan like his father and play upon ‘Jat’ politics. Mulayam Singh, though he holds the defence portfolio, is defenceless since he is a member of the khichdi Government.
A.S. Raj, Bangalore
Widening the Gulf (September 18) highlights the disgusting attitude of the United States. On issues like the CTBT, the US has acted like the bully who wants all goodies for himself, while the rest be damned.
Even common people who do not understand international politics are angered by this show of diplomatic muscle. The guy on the street admires Saddam Hussein for taking the US head on.
Let’s hope other nations will hit back at the US, isolating it and allowing scope for dissent.
Larens Mohanty, Cuttack
America has emerged as a blatant abuser of international law. Using Iraq as a guinea pig, President Clinton is making a last ditch effort to lay his claim for a second term. The bombing of southern Iraq reflects a neurotic mind rather than a mature and calculated effort. This radical step has been self-defeating, earning widespread public wrath instead of approval. Hopefully, the American public will not be swayed in favour of the trigger-happy president.
Vivek Saxena, Varanasi
With reference to Skeletons in the Closet (September 11), the scandalous liaisons of our prime ministers and chief ministers are not new or odd phenomena. Nehru, during his early years, was a well-known political debonair. Indira Gandhi too had many male partners in her early years. Most of our political masters don’t have a good moral character, though they occupy high public offices. It is a well known fact that a daughter of Lord Mountbatten resembles Nehru! It would be in the interest of the nation, if we do not investigate the shady pasts and private lives of our country’s public figures for the only reason that they are filthier than septic tanks.
K.S.N. Raju, Chipurupalle (AP)
I was delighted to receive the October 2 issue on September 23 and find detailed reports of Murtaza Bhutto’s death in Karachi on September 20 and Narasimha Rao’s resignation as Congress President on September 21. This showed remarkable speed.
Besides, the features, The Queen’s Unpaid Army and Indian Heat in Toronto, were exceptionally informative and thoughtful. The Time magazine of the same issue carried the Toronto cinema festival story too, but your coverage was far better. Keep it up.
N.K. Somani, Mumbai
