Dreaming on

Shekhar Gupta was absolutely right in illustrating the world of difference between the public mindsets and political environments of India and the United States.

8226; Shekhar Gupta was absolutely right in illustrating the world of difference between the public mindsets and political environments of India and the United States. American voters notoriously care only for their narrow single interests such as abortion or stem-cell research or the environment. Yet, on election day, it all translated into one big vote for the national interest rising above race and creed. The electorate8217;s hopes, of course, were the possibility of radical change with the first Afro-American president in office. None of this is imaginable in India, where every party is busy catering to its narrow votebank, furthering the regional, communal and casteist divisions within the country as a result. Even the national parties are guilty of this vice. And top of that, certain parties have institutionalised dynastic rule. Therefore, the dream of a mainstream PM from the deprived classes is still just wishful thinking.

8212; Dilbag Rai

Chandigarh

Cheer the game

8226; India8217;s brilliant victory against Australia at Nagpur and the series win should make Team India the de facto world champions. Dhoni8217;s captaincy deserves praise as both wins came under his leadership. His sportsmanship should also be credited by letting Sourav Ganguly lead India to victory. The Aussies were for once outplayed in all departments.

8212; S.N. Kabra Mumbai

Mama8217;s boy

8226; Margaret Alva8217;s outburst about the cash for ticket practice within the Congress doesn8217;t surprise. What does is how a Congress general secretary can be unaware of this. While Margaret Alva has talked of the nepotism in ticket distribution in northern states, isn8217;t she indulging precisely in that in asking for a ticket for her son? Her son should get the ticket and fight on his own steam.

8212; S. Kamat Goa

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Ticket rush

8226; All the major political parties have indulged in favouritism and nepotism in distributing tickets for the state elections. Margaret Alva has only given voice to all that actually happens in parties like the Congress. There is no dearth of other dissenters in the Congress but they are keeping quiet for fear of disciplinary action. This is equally true in the case of the BJP. Parties will surely play spoiler to get sufficient seats to be king-makers. One thing, however, stands out clearly 8212; no one is concerned about the welfare of the common people.

8212; R.J. Khurana Bhopalnbsp;

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Punishing pirates

8226; Piracy had been suitably defined by the IMO as a crime against humanity, in which every territorial state has the authority even to book them under the respective law of the land. The answer is for vessels to embark a gunnery detachment for transit through designated areas as was done in the Gulf in the 8216;80s.

8212; G.V.K. Unnithan Mumbai