This refers to your pragmatic editorial ‘Ballast for a rocky boat’ (IE, August 2). The UPA has 15 constituents to the NDA’s 24, but the UPA has 8 parties offering outside support, while in the NDA’s case only the Telugu Desam did so. The co-ordination committee of the UPA and the Left here provides useful ballast to a potentially risk-prone boat. The Congress, as you rightly say, should not play Big Brother but should show maturity and accommodation as the single largest party, just as the BJP did by using George Fernandes as the point man in the NDA. For the UPA, Sharad Pawar can be considered for this role. — Vinod Chowdhury Delhi Commissions etc • It is gratifying to note that the prime minister has started taking action against commissions of inquiry. No one knows how many commissions exist and how many have exceeded their time by years and even decades. Commissions are appointed at the drop of a hat and their periods extended to accommodate retired persons. Many forget the existence of such commissions and even when the commissions give in their report it is generally filed and forgotten. Hope some clever bureaucrat will not suggest the formation of a commission to enquire into the affairs of the commissions. — V.S. Venkatavaradan Salem Say no to sops • The Maharashtra government’s move to provide free electricity to farmers would give a phenomenal boost to the state’s rising debt which stands at Rs 93,000 crore! Perhaps, the ruling Democratic Front (DF) is keen to ensure that the state’s financial burden reaches a ‘respectable’ figure by the time Assembly elections are due later this year! No doubt, it is the duty of the government to come to the aid of farmers in their hour of distress. But not by such parochial measures. The government should have an effective mechanism to store excess water so that the precious commodity can be supplied to the farmers during drought conditions. Also, when crops wither owing to erratic weather, an expert committee should be in place which should provide the peasants with useful tips to opt for some alternate sowing that minimises their losses. — V. Rajesh On e-mail Merci monsieur • You have paid a great homage to a great photographer (‘The King of Now’, IE, August 6). Henri Cartier-Bresson left behind for us the memories of a sad moment in our history on celluloid. But you have made a mistake in citing the year: it was 1948, not 1947. Bresson was indeed a genius of light and darkness. His pictures are works of art. We can only say, Merci, Monsieur Bresson. — Ramesh Lahoti Mumbai Just one point • I fully agree with Miranda Yambem on the issue of injustice to Northeast India (‘Manorama Devi. Who’s that?’, IE, August 3). I want to ask just one question: Are ‘‘mainstream Indians’’ welcomed in the land of seven sisters? They make you feel miserable. At every given point you are made to feel that you are an outsider. I can say this with some conviction as I stayed there for 23 long years. — Dipashree Debroy Jabalpur
