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8226; It was heartening to know that Army Chief General J J Singh is a good shot 8216;I won8217;t allow collateral damage in the Valley,...

8226; It was heartening to know that Army Chief General J J Singh is a good shot 8216;I won8217;t allow collateral damage in the Valley, says Army Chief with a bullet8217;, February 6, but unfortunately by his bizarre action he forgot that he is not a weapons training instructor at the Infantry School but an officer who is part of the think tank formulating high-level policies and strategies in the Army. Singh hit the target in undisturbed conditions, which anyone who was a good shot in his younger days can do even in his 70s, as often seen in regimental reunions. Any person who has been in an ambush in Kashmir will vouch shooting under attack. Moreover, in the present scenario, it is difficult to tell militants and civilians apart. The soldier has to take a split second decision to fire in self-defence, which sometimes results in civilian casualties. It should also be borne in mind that the law of averages applies in the Army too where there are good, average and below-average shots.

It will be appreciated if the Army Chief concentrates on evolving a concrete strategy to tackle militants at the root, which is across the border. In addition he should impress upon the Government to take political steps with determination to root out militancy. We should not cow down to protests of Army brutalities and allegations, which are always sponsored by militants and the ISI. The Indian Army has the best record of humility in dealing with civilians, especially women and children.
Harish Bahl

8226; This refers to N K Singh8217;s column 8216;Getting cross with cross-subsidies8217; February 6. In the context of macro-economy, there may be valid reasons to reduce subsidies, if not to do away with them completely. However, the apprehension among the public is that such a move would have an adverse impact on the prices of commodities. Instead of choosing the easy way out by burdening the public to make good the deficit, the government should think about reducing certain concessions granted to industries.
V P Damodar

8226; Tavleen Singh correctly remarks that funds are not a problem when it comes to developmental projects but the delivery system 8216;Why we are a poor rich country8217;, February 6. To quote one instance, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has a large corpus of unspent money. Yet this government has imposed a new cess on education. As Singh suggests, we need new innovative solutions to 8216;8216;destroy8217;8217; poverty. People need basic healthcare, education, sanitation and employment. This is not as difficult as it seems. What we need are mature ideas, energy and a missionary zeal.
Pranav Sachdeva

8226; By sacking the Sher Bahudar Deuba government, King Gyandera has plunged Nepal into a political crisis 8216;Lights out in Kathmandu8217;, February 6. The Palace has developed the habit of picking and dumping prime ministers. The King has taken this step in the belief that he would be able to do what his prime ministers could not, but his actions show that he is far removed from ground reality. He wanted Deuba to hold elections by April which was not possible because the writ of the government hardly runs beyond Kathmandu. India cannot remain a silent spectator. The Government of India should not give legitimacy or credibility to the action taken by the King.
Jasvir Singh Nasrali