Judicial intervention

In the present coalition era, the Centre cannot act as independently and effectively as it ought to. The government has to yield to the pressure of coalition partners. So, the judiciary has started interfering in those areas of executive functioning where the government cannot perform effectively due to coalition politics. Indeed, the judiciary is playing a constructive role in the 2-G Spectrum case. But such judicial intervention in the long run would definitely affect the delicate balance of power. The judiciary must act with adequate restraint and responsibility.

DUSHYANT SHARMA, New Delhi

Strategic diplomacy

The editorial “Trade to cement ties” (Dec18) is full of wisdom and deserves the attention of all the stakeholders including strategic diplomats in the Ministry of External Affairs in India. To remove the irritants in our relationship with no clash of interests, we should be honest and sincere with concrete plan of action for the so-called cooperation.

We need not only bilateral trade but also settlement of non-economic issues of relevance which are equally (if not more) important in relationship management. In the targeted level of $ 100 billion by 2015 India-China bilateral trade, it is beyond doubt that ultimately the real trade balance will be in favour of China. Made in China products are cheap and cater to the needs of poor consumers.

We need to adopt a cautious approach to deal with China. Let us learn strategic diplomacy for which the fraternity of academics can play a definite role and the government should take them into confidence.

Dr M.M GOEL, Seoul

Honour soldiers

I appreciate the frank and objective views expressed in the editorial  “Honour the soldier” (Dec 18). Indeed, despite of the misuse of the Army by the authority in events like the Operation Bluestar, the Indian soldier deserves to be honoured.

The jawan has fought to preserve the national unity and integrity right from the police action in Hyderabad till today. But the most spectacular event for the Army was the surrender of the Pakistani army in 1971. This event really proved the two-nation theory of Jinnah totally wrong.

AMAR JIT SINGH GORAYA, Griffith NSW, Australia

Parliament logjam

“Aam aadmi” remained a helpless witness to the pandemonium in both houses of Parliament during its winter session which ended with zero business and nearly Rs 172 crore of tax payer’s money going down the drain. The big question now is how long will the one-upmanship drama continue (editorial, “A wasted session”, Dec 14).

Presiding officers of the august houses too failed in their duty to act and maintain decorum. Now they must act fairly during the interregnum by calling representatives of the government and the Opposition on one table and work in the interest of India and its “aam aadmi”.

LALIT BHARDWAJ, Panchkula

Unwanted fuss

To the diplomatic crisis of ‘pat down’ search of Indian high ranking diplomats at the US airports I would like to add that the issue has been blown out of proportion. Every country is free to work out their security procedures based on their terrorist threat perception even when these encroach on privacy rights.  

The honourable minister fails to understand that tight security procedures are essentially classless in implementation. Thus anybody and everybody, irrespective of appointment and status, is duty bound to go through the laid down security norms and ensure that rules and procedures are adhered to. Granting immunity from security checks can result in avoidable disasters. 

 Col K. D. PATHAK (retd), via email

Wrong name

My middle, “An hour with Sam Manekshaw”, published in The Tribune on December 10, 2010, had wrongly carried my name as Ved Prakash Gupta. It should have been Vinod Prakash Gupta.