Field vision

This is in response to ‘Candor at Cancun’ by Sanjaya Baru (IE, September 1). There are two basic premises in the EU position on ag...

This is in response to ‘Candor at Cancun’ by Sanjaya Baru (IE, September 1). There are two basic premises in the EU position on agriculture. First, being ex-colonial powers, they know the strategic importance of food security and would never allow fair play. Second, the immense agriculture stakes in South America and Australia are held through blood ties by the landed gentry in Europe.

More than 60 per cent of world trade is in manufactured goods, less than 20 per cent in services, less than 10 per cent in agriculture. Therefore, a country of more than a billion people can only neglect this sector to its peril. Further, the real money in the services sector is held by the developed world, which indirectly holds manufacturing capacities in developing countries!

Yes, the author is right in that there is no escape from the WTO. But the ground realities must never be lost sight of. As a living democracy India has to venture forth cautiously.
— Prem P. Batra, Delhi

Wrong track

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THE proposed stoppage of rail services on September 22 shows the Congress party’s political bankruptcy (‘This is how Congress plays Opp: says stop all trains for an hour’, IE, September 2). Party leaders should realise that opposition in a democratic set-up is aimed at opposing the government’s policies and not at inconveniencing the people.

What and how would the state governments ruled by the Congress control the protestors if the agitation drifts into chaos? The Congress party must protest, but it should choose its means more discerningly.
— Purushottam Singi, On e-mail

Origins of crime

IT is a great achievement by the Mumbai Police to catch the culprits in less than a week (‘Black Monday Gujarat revenge’, IE, September 2). They really deserve a pat on the back.

However, I feel sorry that only because of a few people the image of the Muslim community is being targetted. For a handful of terrorists who happen to be

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Muslims, the reputation of the Muslim community is at stake.
— Jenny Fernandes, On e-mail

Black Monday Gujarat revenge’ has no surprises. When sections of our political class and the media have been saying so from the very moment word about the Mumbai blasts spread, why should those who have now fallen into the net not exploit the Gujarat riots to justify and glorify their crime?

Whatever happened in Gujarat is a cruel reality that neither can be undone nor should be accepted by any civil society as an excuse for revengeful, ghastly terrorist attacks.
— M.C. Joshi, On e-mail

Mixed cables

THE phenomenal confusion displayed by the Central government in implementation of CAS is now costing the consumer dear (‘A few worst-CAS scenarios’, IE, September 2). The absence of any provision for the consumer to air his grievances is bound to benefit the cable operators.
— Balasubramaniam, On e-mail

Thanks, Anju

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THERE was a time when we were thankful to lesser gods. Thanks, Anju Bobby George, for giving India a real champion.
— Nitin Palkar, On e-mail

In Odisha, Modi mounts ‘loot tantra-vs-bachat utsav’ attack on Congress over GST

India6 hr ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday hailed the revised Goods and Services Tax (GST) structures, saying the era of “double bachat (saving) and double kamai (income)” has arrived under the Bharatiya Janata Party rule. Addressing the ' Namo Yuva Samabesh' in Jharsuguda, Modi accused the Congress of indulging in “loot tantra (tactics)” while in power.

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