Going backward

8226; In spite of overwhelming opposition to the introduction of such a bill from all right think...

8226; In spite of overwhelming opposition to the introduction of such a bill from all right thinking people, the government is going ahead with the attempt to firm up a quota regime in private non-aided educational institutions. This is injustice to a privately owned institution that wants to impart quality education on its own terms, as was permitted by the SC. I wish the media would highlight this in light of the forthcoming proposal for extending reservations in private industries as well. I wonder what our founding fathers who drafted and approved the Constitution would be thinking if they were alive. There has to be a mass opposition to these retrograde efforts of not-so-clean politicians who want to take this country backwards in time.

8212; Vijoy K. Ambasta Nagpur

Staying power

8226; Like all ex-ministers, MPs and MLAs of the central and state governments, Rabri Devi refuses to vacate her former residence as chief minister. All those who have lost power and their position are allowed to stay on in their previous place of residence almost indefinitely. This is an unhealthy and undemocratic practice that is routinely blinked at. A US President vacates the White House the very day after the noon ceremony when the new president is sworn in and goes to his home state. A defeated British Prime Minister immediately vacates 10 Downing Street; all his personal belongings are packed and sent by the back door within eight hours.

8212; K. Venkataraman Mumbai

We the corrupt

8226; Most city dwellers will be watching the New Delhi demolitions of illegal constructions with interest. Thanks to the builder-civic officials-politicians nexus, almost every city in India has seen thousands of illegal constructions come up, making a mockery of words like 8216;town planning8217; or 8216;public interest8217;. In the New Delhi demolition drive, people have openly confessed to bribing civic officials for being allowed to construct their illegal house or for converting residential properties into commercial ones and are now expecting that the officials return the gesture by protecting their interests. If this drive is now withdrawn, the message will be clear: bribe civic officials and elected representatives, build to your heart8217;s content, break every law, and if ever the judiciary interferes, we, the government of the corrupt and by the corrupt will always protect you at a price.

8212; Kishore Karnad Baroda

Sting on

8226; Money laundering by MPs by way of the MPs Local Area Development Scheme has been going on ever since the inception of this scheme, of course without bringing about any sort of development whatsoever. I really appreciate sting operations like 8216;Operation Chakravyuh8217; and 8216;Duryodhan8217;. They should continue to expose errant public servants.

8212; C.R. Ramakrishnan On e-mail

Cause for worry

8226; C. Uday Bhaskar8217;s 8216;Idea of Bangladesh. Unrealised8217; IE, December 16, raises pertinent questions about the Indian security establishment8217;s responsiveness to developments in Bangladesh. There has been tremendous growth in radical Islam in that nation. Even the ruling BNP is helpless, because it depends upon the support of the radical outfit called Jamat-ul-Mujahiddin. There has been disturbing news of secular parties being attacked and even the media being under threat from these outfits.

8212; Amit V. Sengupta Kolkata