Congress, guilty

8226; Senior Congress leaders guided Dharam Singh to act in a manner that was in b...

8226; Senior Congress leaders guided Dharam Singh to act in a manner that was in blatant disregard of the governor8217;s instructions to seek the confidence vote in the Karntaka assembly. Right from the start of the session, Congress members of the legislature had acted in a planned manner so that the House gets adjourned in pandemonium. The governor, on receipt of the report from the Speaker of the proceedings of the House, should have dismissed the Dharam Singh ministry for its failure to get the confidence motion passed in its favour by the deadline set. The Congress, with its narrow vision, had set an unhealthy precedent by its actions.

8212; K.R.P. Gupta New Delhi

RBI8217;s not wrong

8226; I read Ila Patnaik8217;s article, 8216;Whose policy is it anyway?8217; IE, January 28, questioning the wisdom of RBI in raising short-term interest rates, with interest. The rationale of interest adjustments by the RBI has been analysed well by Patnaik, but she has failed to understand what India needs. Interest rate adjustments by the central bank in any market based economy is primarily to curb inflation and secondarily to stimulate the economy. Central banks of all the developed economies of the world only set monetary policy, economic management essentially lies with the government through its fiscal policies. Successive Indian governments have consistently left a large uncovered budget deficit, and focused only on economic growth at the cost of poverty measures. Given this, a constant 8220;exchange rate8221; policy is not a bad policy considering its effect on curbing inflation.

8212; L.N. Iyengar Sydney

Unfortunate, PM

8226; With the Supreme Court8217;s indictment of the Bihar governor, the PM and home minister if not the Cabinet should have ensured that Buta Singh resigned. Home Minister Patil chose instead to buy time by saying that the government is studying the judgment. It is sad that an honest PM and home minister has to stoop to such a low level just to accommodate the corrupt Congress party.

8212; Sridhar Vijayaraghavan Chennai

Worry points

8226; The position taken by Parliament that the Speaker need not respond to a court notice in regard to the expelled MPs has the potential to develop into an unseemly constitutional standoff. While fully agreeing that the 11 expelled MPs do not deserve to sit in Parliament, there are worrisome aspects to the decision of Parliament. Any institution has the right to make its rules of conduct and discipline those who do not abide by them. But discipline implies correction without termination. It is an universally accepted norm that only an appointing authority can dismiss an appointee. The MPs were appointed to sit in Parliament by the voters. Expulsion is tantamount to termination unless it can be interpreted as indefinite suspension. In such cases the expelled MPs would continue as MPs without the right to attend Parliament! But this would mean the concerned voters would have lost their voices in Parliament. Truly an unholy mess. This is why we need an effective Lok Pal Act.

8212; C.J.M. Mathew Faridabad

Good idea

8226; In his Republic Day speech, President Kalam has rightly given us the twin 8220;mantras8221; of progress and its protection. I agree with him, in toto, when he advocates compulsory NCC training for a minimum period of 18 months. Only this can give the nation the necessary discipline to excel in all fields.

8212; Hansraj Bhat Mumbai