Empty gesture

8226; Apropos the report, 8216;Govt8217;s Doctor plays The Cigarette Censor8217; IE, June 1...

8226; Apropos the report, 8216;Govt8217;s Doctor plays The Cigarette Censor8217; IE, June 1, according to information I collected some time ago, India produces 550 million kg of tobacco and exports about Rs 4.25 billion worth in a year. Excise duty on tobacco earns the government Rs 41 billion p.a. The political might of tendu leaf used for making bidis is well known. At present, tobacco is more remunerative than any other crop under similar soil conditions. For these reasons, the government supports tobacco. According to a TV report of April 1993, the LIC has more than Rs 140 million invested in tobacco. Growing tobacco is considered a 8220;priority sector8221; for bank financing. The ICAR has an institute devoted entirely to research on tobacco cultivation. In Manmohan Singh8217;s budget of 1996, tax on non-filtered cigarettes was reduced by half, to Rs 60 per thousand. In 1996, the government approved a proposal from the multinational, Philip Morris, for the manufacture of cigarettes in India. Have these things changed today? Apparently not at all, if one considers the AP government bending over backwards to help tobacco cultivation. Banning of smoking scenes in movies is just an empty gesture.

8212; Dr T.S. Raman New Delhi

Shut gates

8226; Apropos of Thomas Friedman8217;s column, 8216;Mutating America8217;s DNA8217; IE, June 3, we have to revive a modern-day US Information Service. It was all over the world and in India it virtually became an idea-exchange forum for bright men and women from the ultra-left to ultra-right. True some called it a cover for CIA agents, but we got to know America and Americans got to know us first hand through this institution.

8212; Parry Dholakia On e-mail

8226; Friedman is absolutely true. I feel these sentiments will push the US into the bottomless abyss of degeneration. Earlier anyone with brains was welcome, now all of a sudden anyone from an Islamic country is treated badly. The US has even stopped calling itself 8216;a melting pot8217;.

8212; Rajat B. Mumbai

8226; Getting an US visa has become tiresome. In 2001, before 9/11, we had applied for visas for the treatment of my son who suffers from cerebral palsy in the US. In spite of proper certificates from the hospital, the visa was refused for reasons that we were potential immigrants. I was a Class I central government officer with 14 years of service at that point! Then on again applying we were given single entry visas. In 2003, we had to go again for treatment to the same hospital. This time only my son and wife were allowed in. The next time we have to go will also be an anxiety-filled affair, of that I am sure.

8212; Kartic Chauhan Jabalpur

Rajasthan8217;s folly

8226; Packaging Sati sites in Rajasthan as tourists spots is detrimental to the interests of an otherwise progressive society like India8217;s 8216;Incredible Rajasthan8217;, IE, June 1. Such state-sponsorship of this inhuman practice is uncalled-for. One wonders how CM Vasundhara Raje Scindia could have put forward such a regressive and anti-constitutional plan.

8212; Arjun Chaudhuri Kolkata

New man in

8226; Your report about the new French minister misses one important point IE, June 1. Diplomats are polite and cultivate friendships in the country they serve. But when it comes to their country8217;s interests they do not compromise. On IT outsourcing, India will find the new man a tough protectionist.

8212; Guru London