L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Terrorists deserve no mercy

The serial blasts in Delhi on September 13 prove that terrorists can attack anywhere in India and at any time (Editorial, “Terror in Capital”, Sept 15). There is no political will to combat terrorism. We need to catch the terrorists and kill them in the presence of the people. Then only, the government would be able to send a strong message to the terrorists.

The Supreme Court has sentenced to death a terrorist for his involvement in the attack on Parliament, but the Centre has been dithering on the convict’s mercy petition to the President for a long time. The Bangladeshi influx problem is also against the Supreme Court order. The court has ruled that the illegal Bangladeshis are a threat to the country’s security, but the government has not taken measures to deport them as they are important vote banks.

The terrorists’ network must be destroyed. Keeping terrorists in jails is no solution. They, including others associated with them directly or indirectly, must be hanged. We should show no mercy to them.

MAHESH KUMAR, New Delhi

II

Bangalore. Jaipur. Surat. Ahmedabad. And now New Delhi. The much too familiar charade has followed: Routine words of sympathy for the victims and their families; sundry platitudes blaming outsiders for their “acts of cowardice”; a lot of run-of-the-mill advice to maintain peace; oft-repeated namby-pamby assurances to apprehend the culprits fast and bring them to book; and, of course, some money paid to the next of kin as lollipops.

After a while, as has been the normal practice for years, it will be business as usual. Everything is hunky-dory. Calm and cool. Waiting for another terror strike; another explosion; another day of misery and gloom; another milestone for a nation snubbed and shamed. 

We have been reduced to the position of a banana republic. There is just one hope left in this dismal scenario: The terrorists and jehadis may ultimately give up their business of butchering people in utter disgust and despair thinking that it hardly makes any difference to us, the thick-skinned pachyderms.

Wg-Cdr S.C. KAPOOR (retd), Noida

Media awards

The Population Institute, an international, educational, non-profit organisation that seeks to voluntarily reduce excessive population growth, invites submissions from the print and electronic media for its 29th Global Media Awards. Entries can be by an individual or organisation, accompanied by a justification for nomination, explaining why this particular entry merits a Media Award.

Categories include: best combined media effort, best individual reporting effort, best article, best radio or TV show, best editorial cartoonist, best print editorial columnist, best broadcast editorial commentary, best documentary film.

Eligible works must have been published or aired between September 1, 2007 and September 1, 2008. Winners will receive award in Hollywood, California, USA, with all expenses paid.

Entries should be sent to: Global Media Awards Programme, Population Institute, 107 Second Street NE, Washington, DC 20002, USA. For details, email media@populationinstitute.org

RAHUL SINGH, Chairperson, Global Media Awards,
Population Institute, Washington DC

Incorrect report

The news-item, “CBI officer held accepting bribe” (Sept 12) is factually incorrect. The Bhopal branch of the CBI has not arrested any CBI official named Anand Singh for accepting bribe of Rs 15,000 from a clerk, as alleged in the news-item.

In fact, the CBI’s Bhopal branch had arrested one Anand Singh, Tax Assistant, Income-Tax Department, Bhopal, while demanding and accepting a bribe of Rs 15,000 on Sept 10, 2008, from a complainant, T.S. Mishra, clerk of JP Govt. Hospital, Bhopal, for handing over a complaint available in the Income-Tax Department, Bhopal.

The CBI’s Bhopal Branch has registered a regular case on Sept 10, 2008, against Anand Singh, Tax Assistant, Income-Tax Department, Bhopal.

R.K. GAUR, PIO, CBI, New Delhi

The said news-item was circulated by the PTI.
— Editor

Erroneous system International prices of both edible and fossil oils have plummeted by 40 per cent in the international market since March this year. It is also a fact that India imports 85 per cent of its requirement of both. However, the retail prices to the consumers in the country continue to be the same. It clearly points to the erroneous procurement system for which the concerned ministers should be held responsible. BHARTENDU SOOD, Chandigarh