Letters

Narendra Modi

THE Gujarat election results have clearly shown that Modi is a force to be reckoned with in the State (Cover Story, January 11). Suffice it to say that the people always expect politicians like Modi to improve their welfare status. The State’s industrial successes bear testimony to its government’s investment-friendly approach. Modi has set an example to others by welcoming industrial activities in his State.

P. Senthil Saravana Durai

Vazhavallan, Tamil Nadu

MODI’S victory does not come as a surprise. He is a true politician and a shrewd businessman. Clearly, the main factor that worked for Modi was his personal charisma. The Congress had no candidate to match his stature.

M. Kumar

New Delhi

Reservation

WHENEVER the government and the ruling dispensation are in a crisis, they come up with some kind of policy on reservation, such as a sub-quota for Muslims, reservation in promotions, etc (“With reservations”, January 11). The Constituent Assembly that framed the Constitution did not want to give permanency to reservation. It considered one decade enough for this selective discrimination. Now it seems that reservation will continue until all the so-called backward classes reach the zenith and the unfortunate forward classes become the downtrodden. In fact, there are no backward classes, only “backward” individuals. Indian nationalism, which preaches non-discrimination, is permitting widespread discrimination because of vote-bank politics.

S. Raghunatha Prabhu

Alappuzha, Kerala

North Korea

TO cope with the U.S’ undisguised hostile policy, it is only natural for fiercely independent North Korea to arm itself to the teeth in order to guard its borders (“Satellite salvo”, January 11). The tiny communist state has every right to protect its national sovereignty. By creating an unwarranted ruckus over its enviable strides in nuclear and missile technology, the U.S. and its cronies are making a mountain out of a molehill.

K.P. Rajan

Mumbai

Sports

THE International Olympic Committee suspending the Indian Olympic Association is not only a severe blow to Indian sports but will also end the Olympic dream of several athletes preparing for the 2016 Olympics (“Olympic muddle”, January 11). The blame game between the Sports Ministry and the IOA is reprehensible, and the IOC’s decision has embarrassed India. Sports has become the unfortunate loser in the struggle for power to control the sports body.

K.R. Srinivasan

Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Disability movement

THE live bites in the article on “Enabling the disabled” (January 11) were really touching and in line with what Helen Keller said: “Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadows.” Each one of us is special. It is better to find good things about oneself, forgetting physical problems, and it is best not to judge others by the colour of their skin or how they walk.

A.J. Rangarajan

Edison, New Jersey, U.S.

Buddhism

THERE was a time when universities such as Nalanda and Vikramshila were the Harvard and Stanford of their day (“Echoes of eternity”, January 11). The library at Nalanda was a sprawling 12-storey building.

For centuries students from Greece, Rome, China, Japan, Korea and Ethiopia came to India, regarded then as the most developed country in the world, to hone their skills and further their careers. When they returned to their homelands, they helped spread Buddism. There is ample evidence that exchanges took place between Nalanda university and ancient Baghdad and Cordoba, and mathematicians, astronomers and medical professionals from the university are known to have appeared in the courts of Baghdad and Granada, Spain, to assist in development projects. The focus on technology in these universities can be understood from the bits of literature obtained from the ruins, which mention static electricity (sthitha vaidyuthi), atomic power (anusakthi), buoyancy and even anti-particle physics.

K.K. Vishal Kumar,

Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh

Tree man

THE article “Tree man” (January 11) highlighted a commendable individual. It is amazing that “Maram” Thangasamy has planted so many saplings across the country. His passion, depth of knowledge and his service to society have placed him at the top of the tree of his committed cause. By any reckoning, he is not an individual; he is an institution.

B. RAJASEKARAN

BANGALORE

Sugarcane

FARMERS’ protests relating to sugarcane pricing brought the whole of west Maharashtra to a halt during the festival season (“Millers’ market”, December 28). The State government’s decision to allow mill owners to decide the price of sugarcane is hazardous when there are a large number of privately owned mills. Being one of the largest sugarcane-growing States, it can effectively sort out the issue by consulting both farmers and mill owners.

Pankaj Madhukar Yelapale

Pune, Maharashtra

Correction

The article “Big change in banking” (January 11) wrongly suggested that the Banking Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2012, as passed by Parliament dropped Section 12 (2) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which states: “No person holding shares in a banking company shall, in respect of any shares held by him, exercise voting rights on poll in excess of ten per cent of the total voting rights of all the shareholders of the banking company.” While the draft Bill as introduced in Parliament did include a clause which said “Subsection (2) (of Section 12) shall be omitted”, the final version as passed by the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha states that in Subsection (2) the following proviso shall be inserted, namely: “Provided that the Reserve Bank may increase, in a phased manner, such ceiling on voting rights from ten per cent to twenty-six per cent.”