• No matter how many contradictions the BJP may raise to disregard U.C. Banerjee’s interim report, the truth is that at least the commission has been able to deliver its results relatively quickly and satisfy the purpose it was meant to serve to the best of its capacity (‘Laloo brings Godhra fire on election frontburner’, IE, January 18). The BJP must respect the findings of the Banerjee Commission until the long-due reports of the Nanavati-Shah Commission it itself established don’t surface. — Gaurav Dua Delhi • I am not surprised at the Godhra report. I believe in tooth fairies. I believe that the Babri Masjid fell by itself. I believe that the 1984 riots did not happen. I believe that Hindu women and children self-immolated themselves in the Godhra carnage. — Bhaskar Bhar Bangalore Chinese whisper • Your editorial ‘An Asian Century?’ (January 17) made for interesting reading. While we are enjoying unprecedented economic growth, social growth in India is unable to keep pace. While the world has moved to the 21st century, the Indian mindset continues to languish in the 18th century. Caste remains the biggest hindrance to social growth. People continue to be exploited and serve as votebanks to unscrupulous politicians. While a small percentage of the population reaps the fruits of our economic growth, the vast rural majority is yet to benefit from it. In the rural areas the problem of caste divisions and conflicts is at its most severe. All in all, if the economic juggernaut passes the countryside by, it may turn out to be a Chinese Century rather than an Asian one. — Vimlaksh Gautam On e-mail Immunity, by vote • It is amazing how political masters are almost getting away with “murder” while the underlings, be they uniformed or in civvies, face the music (‘A monumental hole’, IE, January 15). In the Tehelka case an army officer was cashiered whereas politician-office bearers seem to be let off by fighting it out in court about the authenticity of the tapes. Not so long ago a former Chhattisgarh MP was shown, and viewed by millions on TV, taking a bribe which he then claimed was legitimate. In the Taj Corridor scandal, senior public servants were immediately suspended or compulsorily retired but now the then CM is given a clean, birthday-celebratory chit. Here, the CBI’s role seems suspect because if eventually there was no evidence, how and why was a case filed at all? Was it under orders of political masters of the day? In our democracy, everyone has realised where the real power lies and no wonder there is a clamour for seats at election time. — Mukund B. Kunte New Delhi Timed results • Personally, I think that bringing down the age limit for selection to the civil service will have a disastrous effect on the career prospects of a large number of candidates from the middle class (‘Get on with it’, IE, January 17). Today a student rarely finishes her education before she is 21. If she goes in for any field of specialisation then she has to spend a little more time to complete the course. Therefore, with lower age limits, graduates and postgraduates from professional colleges would automatically be out of the race. — Sameer Banerjee Mumbai
