Doesn’t work

• Coming to questions on whether Indian economy should have been as accommodative to US FDI as China, I think the answer is in a recent news item that research by a MIT and Harvard professor duo reveals that we could overtake China in spite of missing the FDI ride.

— Sridhar Pabbisetty Bangalore

• I think that comparing US response to the attempted purchase of Unocal by the Chinese would not apply to India. The US sees China (rightfully) as a major military threat. China is building satellite destroying weapons, EMP systems and aircraft carrier “killer” missiles. The intent of this is none other than to defeat the US. India, however, is a democracy. The US would be glad to see India rise. Without question, there could be quarrels between the US and India over oil, but they will remain friends. If the Chinese purchase Unocal, it will be one more means by which they could thwart US attempts to maintain energy resources in the event of a conflict between USA and China.

— Brent Hansen Chicago

A joy-stick?

• I fully agree with the views expressed by Jagmohan on governors (‘A rubber stamp’, IE, June 30). Today a governor’s fate is associated with the party’s
electoral results. They are replaced at whim. If the Centre thinks that the governor shouldn’t be given any powers then why have a governor? If his duties
entail only giving oath to MLAs, then why don’t high court judges be given that responsibility? Our forefathers had thought of keeping state governments under check, and created the institution of the governor to do that, but we have
reduced the institution to a titular one.

— Jay Chandigarh

Muslims disgraced

• Apropos of your editorial, ‘Imrana in a bind’ (IE, June 29), truly Muslim scholars are bringing discredit to our religion. Instead of hanging the man who raped his daughter-in-law, they want her to marry him. Such pronouncements amount to humiliating all Muslims. The day in not far off when educated Muslims will reject such fatwas and the politics played by politicians like Mulayam Singh Yadav.

— Yakub Khan Mumbai

Left influence

• With reference to the editorial, ‘Join the Naxal dots’ (IE, June 29), the Left is a major force in the UPA government. They do have ideological sympathy for the Maoi- sts, who are nothing but an extreme version of the Left ideology. It is obvious then why the UPA government reacts to Naxal attacks they way it has been doing.

— Sahishnu Majumdar Thane