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

Narendra Modi’s statement a poll gimmick

Gujarat Chief Minister, Narendra Modi is a shrewd politician having astonishing oratorial skills. His assertion “Hang me if I am guilty” is a clever ploy to woo Muslims in view of the forthcoming Assembly elections in the state. He was the Chief Minister of Gujarat when the Godhra violence erupted and continued for weeks together. Hundreds of innocent Muslims were massacred. Was it not his duty to bring the hoodlums to justice and create a sense of security and confidence among the members of the minority community? His haughty indifference was worse than that shown by the notoriously cruel Nero, who played fiddle when Rome was burning. Instead of being repentant for his failure to restore peace, he shamelessly performed a gaurav yatra and made derogatory remarks against Muslims.

Was the horrible carnage an exploit to be proud of? Manmohan Singh was not Prime Minister when the 1984 Sikh pogrom took place, but he apologised for the Sikh riots. Swelled with conceit, Modi brazenly declared that there was no question of an apology. I want to remind him of the Persian verse: Batars az aah-e-mazloomaan ke hangaam-e-doa kardan/ijaabat az dar-e-haq bailhr-e-istiqbaal mey aayad (Fear the sigh of wronged people because when they recite a prayer, its acceptance comes from God’s door to greet it).

BHAGWAN SINGH, Qadian

LOK NATH ATTRI, Solan

Political ‘hamaam’

It was Anna Hazare and his team last year, who refused to follow the constitutional procedures of making and implementing any law, be it the Lokpal and now they are willing to accept the imperatives of electoral politics (editorial ‘After fast, party’, Aug 4). Secondly, even within the Anna team there is a serious lack of consensus on many issues and modalities. One wonders whether we should remain mute spectators to this drama of the absurd and allow anyone to take us for a ride. It is time the middle class got wiser to see through the tactics of opportunists grinding their axe at the cost of common man’s interests and sentiments.

VED GULIANI, Hisar

II

Whatever may be the compulsions of Team Anna to take a plunge into the cesspool of electoral politics, which is badly infected by ailments like regionalism, caste, creed, religion, linguistic bias, corruption, muscle power and monetray power etc.,in reality it is a great setback to the common man who had seen a ray of hope in Anna’s crusade. Congress, which was the most threatened because of Anna’s crusade against corruption, must be a relieved lot now. Team Anna has also entered the political ‘hamaam’ where everybody has to shed clothes of ethics, honesty and morality.

AK SHARMA, Chandigarh

III

It is good that Team Anna has decided to become a part of the Indian political system. It is an indication that  people with non-political background are coming forward in a more organised way to become a part of democracy. 

Apart from being active in politics, Anna should do something more for upliftment of the society. His party will have to win back public faith to enhance the morale of the common man. Anna should establish anti-corruption squads in metropolitan cities on a trial basis to help people avail govt services without paying bribe. It should drag the corrupt to the court. Steps like these will help him build faith and people will come in his direct contact.

On the other hand, Anna should also find and encourage the honest govt employees to come forward to declare their corruption- free services.

MANDEEP SINGH, Sardulgarh

Reshuffle unwarranted

The Cabinet reshuffle held recently was unwarranted as there was no imminent need for it. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could have carried on with the Finance Ministry. P Chidambaram was handling the Home Ministry quite well. During his tenure, terror attacks declined. Will Sushil Kumar Shinde be able to handle terrorist-related and other major security concerns of the nation?

Chidambaram seems to have a biased opinion against the middle class, keeping in mind his remarks on paying Rs one extra on rice rather than spending it on ice-cream. However, he must rectify the mistakes of retrospective effect on Vodafone tax matter, bring the original Direct Tax Code which was best for economic growth and tax payers and assure foreign investors on FDI taxation policy. He must tell the foreign investors that the tax laws shall not be changed for them without giving adequate time and notice for their tax planning.

MAHESH KUMAR, New Delhi

At the receiving end

The reversal of decision of boxer Vikas Krishnan’s victory in London 2012 Olympics by AIBA should be condemned. Since 4 different judges gave points, his victory decision should have been final. If a final decision is to be based on the basis of close scrutiny of video recording, then why is it not done before announcing the result. In the presence of electronic gadgets, there is no need for the judges. Coupled with Sangwan’s deceitful defeat earlier, there appears to be a conspiracy to stop the steady rise of Indian boxers at the international arena.

MANISH GARG, Noida

Restrict power guzzlers  The ‘luxury’ of overdrawing power from the National Power Grid having come to an end, Punjab has resorted to heavy power cuts for the common man. Regular power cuts by shutting down electricity for small consumers is not justified when over-consumption of power is done by others. Power cuts should be selective. Why is there more supply for power guzzlers like malls, banks, corporate houses, VIPs, et al? They are misusing the facility. Ordinary residents, in comparison, consume very little power. Wg Cdr CL SEHGAL (retd), Jalandhar