Good Step for India

8226; You have correctly said that politicians have for once done a good job in passing the historic Constituti...

8226; You have correctly said that politicians have for once done a good job in passing the historic Constitution 97th Amendment Bill banning all defections and reducing the size of ministries to 15 per cent, subject to a minimum of 12. However, your numbers need correction. Meghalaya has now 42 ministers. Under the new law, it will have to drop 30 ministers and have only 12 8216;Over 300 Ministers to lose their jobs8230;8217;, IE, December 19. This is great for the country and will hopefully produce better governance.

8212;Robert Kharshiing, MP New Delhi

No, PM

8226; I hold Prime Minister Vajpayee in high esteem but I totally disagree with him when he says that reservations are needed in private sector 8216;No coercion8230;PM8217;, IE, December 20. In fact the government should look into when they should start dismantling the reservation system in government sectors, thus providing an opportunity for healthy competition among citizens.

8212;Narender Goud On e-mail

A road map

8226; Whatever may be General Musharraf8217;s intention in saying that he is ready to 8220;set aside8221; the question of plebiscite in J038;K, it is undoubtedly desirable to start talking about all questions, including Kashmir, with Pakistan and the Kashmiris 8216;General shift8217;, IE, December 20. If we are ready to give the people in the Valley a good federal status, the result of a plebiscite is very likely to be in our favour. So, why not to make a counter offer of holding a plebiscite separately in the Valley and PoK?

8212;Tryambaklal U. Mehta On e-mail

8226; As usual, the politician-general has sprung a surprise. His offer to forget about the UN resolution about plebicite in Kashmir is a sort of coup for Pakistani diplomacy. But are we ready to face him? Can we engage with him in a meaningful dialogue and achieve a counter coup? We are watching Mr Vajpayee. Let us see if he can bring peace to the subcontinent 8216;Welcome, say Delhi and Washington8217;, IE, December 20.

8212;Col A.I. Nomani On e-mail

Unsubstantiated info

8226; I was surprised to have read the article, 8216;Sukhoi check defective so India
order stop payment8217;, by S. Datta Sunday Express, November 14, which
contained unsubstantiated information about the Su-30MKI aircraft. Unfortunately, I must admit that the staff of the newspaper did not take time to verify the factual correctness of the allegations made, with neither the ministry of defence, Government of India, nor the Embassy of Russia, nor the representative of Rosoboronexport in India.

Articles of this ilk not only tend to undermine the universally recognised high standing of one of the world8217;s best combat aircraft, but cast a shadow on your reputed newspaper as well as on the fruitful multifaceted military and technical cooperation between Russia and India. There is no doubt that journalists have a right to receive information from various sources. However, such pieces may jeopardise the traditional good understanding that the Embassy has maintained with The Indian Express.

8212;Alexander M. Kadakin
Ambassador of the Russian Federation
New Delhi