He’s different

: • It has been a success story with a difference. As the gold medal was bestowed on him, Abhinav Bindra stood calmly, without the exultation that goes such moments. His equanimity had stood him in good stead. In the last round, he literally came from behind and overtook China’s world champion. Bindra’s story has another aspect to it. His achievement is almost exclusively his and his close-knit family’s, away from governmental patronage. In his victory India is celebrating the success of private enterprise, which is thriving in India in every walk of life.

— Farzana Nigar

Ranchi

IAS cage

• Ramaswamy R. Iyer has comprehensively dealt with the topic of CAG’s appointment in his op-ed piece, ‘An unaccountable arbiter of accountability’. He raised very pertinent questions — shouldn’t the Foreign Secretary be well-versed in diplomacy? Why should the IAS enjoy undeserving supremacy? Shouldn’t a career IA&AS officer aspire to the highest post of CAG? The political establishment wants to play favourites, to ensure its many indiscretions with public funds escape scrutiny — something an IA&AS officer unlikely to let happen.

Ghaziabad

Redundant office

• The anguish of Ramaswamy R. Iyer over the mystery clouding the criteria and procedures for the appointment of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India is well-founded. It is a mockery of the rule of law, transparency and accountability that the incumbent to such a high constitutional office should continue precariously to be appointed without a set of criteria/qualifications or procedures laid down. The Parliament seems to have done nothing to strengthen the office of the CAG. The constitutional office is in danger of being rendered superfluous and a drain on the public purse rather than standing tall as its guardian.

— Vidhya Jayakumar

Thane

Speaker’s call

• In the sordid ‘notes-for votes’ drama, the UPA was clearly in a minority. But a spate of defections ensued. As the custodian of the dignity of the House, the Speaker should have adjourned the House and ordered a quick, thorough and impartial inquiry into the matter and, only after clearing the air, gone for the trust vote. But he presided over a horse-trading session and rushed into a tainted trust vote. He has failed to protect the dignity of the House.

Incidentally, CPM was not the first party to issue directives to its member elevated to the Speaker’s chair. The Indian National Congress also had directed its member, late Vithalbhai Patel, who was the Speaker of the central legislature in 1929, to resign. Like Somnath Chatterjee, Vithalbhai also defied his party and stayed on, thus disenfranchising his voters. I humbly submit that both of them acted undemocratically.

... contd.