Be constructive

The UPA government has begun a policy of vindictiveness (‘Raj Bhavan axe falls...’IE, July 3). It forgets that the N...

The UPA government has begun a policy of vindictiveness (‘Raj Bhavan axe falls…’IE, July 3). It forgets that the NDA lost because of a similar approach. The spread of education to all children and providing working classrooms in each and every village is of far more importance than the so-called detoxification exercise. Providing drinking water, electricity and shelter to everyone is more crucial than removing governors seen as ideologues. Similarly, the NDA should not waste Parliament’s time on the ‘‘tainted’’ ministers. Let them be driven out by their own inefficiencies. It is time our political class starts working together constructively.

— R.C. Dikshit Vadodara

Bad defence

• Apropos of ‘PM speaks, NDA no less tainted’ (IE, July 1), Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is credited with the statement that “the previous NDA government, with several chargesheeted members in its Cabinet, was no different”. I am surprised that the prime minister is treading this path. So far Dr Singh seemed on a higher plane and drew respect for it. But with such a disingenuous argument, he is in danger of losing that respect. The fact is that he is a helpless prisoner to the ‘criminals’ and other obnoxious characters in his ministry. As such, he should choose to keep quiet. One ‘crime’ does not justify another.

— N.A. Prabhu On e-mail

• What a shame to have a prime minister who admits that since the NDA has chargesheeted ministers, his government too has the right to have them. During NDA rule, prisoners escaped from Tihar jail. Will the UPA prime minister now claim that his government has the right to allow prisoners to run away? Strange logic.

— Varinder Sarin On e-mail

Over to Congress

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• Now with India having notched an 8.2 per cent rate of growth (next only to China), would the Congress — which has been saying that the NDA govt had put the country’s economy into bad shape — like to comment?

— Ashok Gupta On e-mail

Nice guy

• Jayant Narlikar is a nice guy (‘When my husband, the astrophysicist, was smitten by a star’, IE, July 2). And, in science circles, when a guy is called “nice” it means he is not a scientist anymore. Years ago when S. Chandrasekhar came to India he was so annoyed by the perpetual questions over Narlikar’s work — which scientists know is irrelevent ever since the Big Bang theory established itself — that he asked reporters to go and put their questions to Narlikar himself.

— Metric Feinstein On e-mail

The civil way

• The very concept of talaq is not good for women (‘All eyes on the Muslim board’, IE, July 3). The Muslim board should follow the civil law for divorce. Muslim women should know that even if the men are adamant on this issue, they are doing nothing wrong by seeking equal rights for themselves.

— M. Shanthakumar On e-mail

Great line

• Harsha Bhogle is one of the finest writers we have. I just loved this line in his column on July 2: “Pride is a peculiar thing though; those that have it can’t imagine life without it and those that don’t wonder what the fuss is all about.”

— Siddharth G. On e-mail

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

‘Did Nazis ask Jews to leave?’: Netanyahu defies genocide allegations against Israel

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Netanyahu defends Israel's actions in Gaza, blaming Hamas for using civilians as shields. He criticizes world leaders for appeasing evil and condemns their condemnation of Israel. He addresses recent attacks by Hamas and vows to bring all hostages home. The conflict has led to thousands of deaths, according to Hamas-run authorities.

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