• This is in reference to Tavleen Singh’s column ‘Did anyone say Jan-path?’ (June 11). Our politicians live an ostentatious life. After all, to spend money at will that does not belong to them is fun. Their close association with the builder lobby is a well-known fact, which has resulted in real-estate prices going through the roof. No effort is being made by the administration to arrest this trend. Our central ministers ensconce themselves in huge mansions, lavishly done up at public cost to suit their whims, maintaining which continues to put a lot of strain on the government exchequer. They are closely followed by the bureaucrats in this merry-making. ‘Low thinking and very high living’ seems to be their motto. However, our President follows a simplistic lifestyle in true Gandhian style. Given a choice, perhaps he might even be ready to shift to a smaller place, away from the glitter and grandeur of Rashtrapati Bhavan, if that helps public cause. V P Damodar • It is a fact that Arjun Singh will stop at nothing to become prime minister (‘No stopping Arjun Singh as he further tightens quota screw’, and ‘The A to Z of OBC 27%’, June 4. In the process the Congress shall be finished—if the UPA Government falls and elections are held right now, the Congress shall definitely be voted out of power. As de facto PM, why is Madame Sonia Gandhi not trying to stop this unwanted reservation? As per press reports, her husband was against reservation and even her father-in-law Jawaharlal Lal Nehru was against reservation. How far shall the politicians carry on this political gimmick of reservation and divide the nation on the basis of caste? Why can’t the Government delete the word reservation from the Constitution by a necessary amendment? Mahesh Kumar • I’m highly impressed by the zeal of Van Gogh (‘Pilgrimage to an art temple in Amsterdam’, June 4), and Sudheendra Kulkarni’s article really gives new dimensions to understand his works. I have a query. Is Apoorva Paschima by Shivram Karanth available in English or Hindi? Prabhat Singh
