Liquor policy
THE sale of liquor may fill the government’s coffers, but the money spent on it takes away the rights of children to study and of mothers to provide food for the family (Cover Story, May 1). What is the point of generating revenue for the government by killing family members slowly and steadily?
S.A. Srinivasa Sarma, Hyderabad
Red sanders
THIS is with reference to the article “Massacre in the hills” (May 1). The unfortunate fact is that in India there are still bonded workers who can easily be forced to work according to the whims of vested interests. India has to improve employment opportunities for people and do more to ensure their well-being. As for this shocking incident, apart from investigating it thoroughly, the Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh governments should come forward and take steps to improve the welfare of woodcutters.
P. Senthil Saravana Durai, Vazhavallan, Tamil Nadu
The AAP
MANY people consider the AAP to be the conscience of Indian politics and not just a political party (“The real Kejriwal” May 1). It is seen as the embodiment of the common man’s aspirations. The present turmoil within the party will shatter the hopes of all those who expected a new political era to emerge through the AAP’s political idealism. Just like the average political party in India, the AAP has also not been able to shrug off the curse of single-man leadership.
Buddhadev Nandi, Bishnupur, West Bengal
IT is difficult for a party to develop new ideas in a hostile environment. Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bushan calling Arvind Kejriwal names is a disgrace to their stature. The AAP is surrounded by enemies waiting for its collapse. It cannot have enemies inside too.
Krish Bharathwaj, Bangalore
Neutrino project
THE opposition of the villagers of Theni district, Tamil Nadu, to the neutrino project seems to be based more on rumours than on fact (“Fact of the matter”, May 1). The best way to put people’s fears to rest would be to urge the administration and scientists to undertake outreach activities. It would be great if students, teachers, professors and activists who speak Tamil came forward to explain the facts in lay terms.
Aditya Srivastava, Mumbai
Vallabhbhai Patel
WHY is there such anger against Vallabhbhai Patel as was reflected in the title of the article “Patel, the non-Bismarck” (May 1)? The article could instead have been called “Patel, the untold story”. It was as if the author wanted to downgrade Patel and praise Governor-General Mountbatten. Patel had consulted the Prime Minister and the Cabinet regarding delegation of the job of dealing with the princely states to Mountbatten, which indicates to me that Patel was a thinking leader who was able to delegate responsibility to the right person.
G. Venkataraman, Mumbai
Agriculture
THE undue push the Central government is giving the land Bill is a clear case of skewed priorities (Cover Story, April 17). Its attempt to portray the Bill as a panacea for all the ills that stall “development” is flawed. Infrastructural development will mean nothing if the main source of livelihood for the vast majority of Indians is imperilled. The lack of any imaginative measure in the Budget that could give a fillip to agriculture was another indication of this government’s “regard” for farmers. The BJP dispensation is pushing them to the abyss with its policy of promoting the corporate sector at the expense of the agricultural sector.
J. Anantha Padmanabhan, Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu
AGRICULTURE is the backbone of the Indian economy and, therefore, should not be sidelined or sacrificed for the sake of industry and in the name of “development”. The proposed amendments to the Land Act will prove to be a death knell to farmers and they will be rendered powerless.
The government seems to be more or less indulging in a real estate-like business to please the corporate sector.
M.Y. Shariff, Chennai
Beef ban
AS the article “Burden of a ban” (April 17) stated, “there appears to be no compelling logic for the enactment of the law other than ideological bigotry and the claim of the public sentiment”. Added to this is the government’s refusal to explain why only the slaughter of cows is banned and not of other animals. With fodder prices increasing, how are farmers supposed to keep and feed cows that have stopped producing milk?
The decision to ban cow slaughter is a politically motivated ploy to continue with the government’s “other agenda”.
Justin C. Jose, Delhi
Reservation
THE Supreme Court quashing the reservation for Jats is a historic judgment aimed at setting right the brazen misuse of constitutional provisions for reservation (“Flawed reading”, April 17). In the entire reservation debate, a fact that is often overlooked is that the reservation clause was included in the Constitution by the Constituent Assembly for a period of 10 years. The assumption was that 10 years was a good enough time for the government to set right the historical injustice experienced by various castes and communities.
That this provision has been unanimously extended by all governments decade after decade is ample testimony to the fact that they are only interested in perpetuating vote-bank politics rather than making any real effort to ameliorate the condition of backward classes and communities.
Nivedita Dwivedi, Mumbai
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