During a debate on the state of the Indian economy in the just-concluded monsoon session, Manmohan Singh lost his cool rightly and lambasted Arun Jaitley in the Rajya Sabha on similar lines. By blistering attacks only, the Congress can wrest the initiative and put the BJP on the defensive. The UPA has no reason to get cowed by Modi's vociferous, imaginative and shallow propaganda.

LT-COL BACHITTAR SINGH (RETD), Mohali

II

Gujarat strongman Modi's elevation for a larger role as the BJP's prime ministerial nominee was a foretold story, as the RSS was backing him with full force. Notwithstanding, the mission was not easily carried out, though Rajnath Singh did all he could to ensure that it was done unanimously. A sulking Lal Krishna Advani resisted the inevitable till the end. He did not realise the way the wind was blowing despite his long political experience. Modi achieved this on the strength of his personality, his performance, his ability to communicate with audience directly, clearly, passionately and without media support. He believes in discipline and hard work. He is tough on corruption and enjoys huge cadre support, and this fact made the RSS to support him.

With his nomination as the prime ministerial candidate, Sushma Swaraj's position as the Leader of the Opposition, technically speaking, comes to an end. That seems to be the reason why she stood with Advani till the end. There is no stopping Modi’s ascendancy within the Parivar, but an angry Advani's dissent, his refusal to attend the parliamentary board meeting and instead circulating a tartly worded letter, criticising Rajnath Singh's working style means that Advani is on the way to political oblivion.

DEEPAK TANDON, Panchkula

Show leniency to rapists? In the editorial “The gallows” (Sept 14) you have said all in just one line. Rape has not only to die, but also to get extinct from all civilised societies. The government, the judiciary and the Delhi police deserve accolades for this judgment our society asked for. It is strange that even in such a barbaric case, some sections of society are still pleading for leniency and some have even gone to the extent of quoting Bapu Gandhi that life can be taken back only by God and none else. Would that mean were Gandhi alive today, he would have condoned mass gang-rapes and pleaded for reformation of such culprits. Even now incidents of rape continue to plague society. TEJINDER SINGH BEDI, via email

Right verdict

Hats off to the Saket court for delivering the right judgement in awarding death sentence to all the four accused in the December 16 Nirbhaya gangrape and murder case. This was the demand of the entire nation that has been fulfilled through the judgement. The criminals must be actually hanged till death and shown live on television channels.

R K KAPOOR, Chandigarh

Reviving HMT

This refers to the letter 'Revive HMT' (September 6) by Tola Ram. The facts highlighted by him have astonished everybody. I have also been an employee of HMT, Pinjore. During the regimes of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, HMT was one of the most successful undertakings of the government. Now it has lost its glory. One wants to know who is responsible for its failure: the government or the management? Owing to its bad fiscal condition, its employees are unable to get their salaries for months together.

Around three months ago, there was news that the government would give it a Rs 400-crore aid to revive it and pay the pending arrears to the employees. But there is still no sign of it. The government must rejuvenate HMT soon.

O P WALIA, Panchkula

Clarification

In the news report ‘New Oz Govt committed to uranium export to India’ (Page 18, Sept 17, 2013), the word ‘anti’ was dropped inadvertently in ‘Australia produces world class improvised explosive devices (IEDs)…’. The sentence should read Australia produces world class anti-improvised explosive devices and would like India to cooperate in this particular area.