Letters To The Editor

Teacher economics• This refers to your editorial ‘Learn this lesson’ (IE, June 26). More than the material compensation given...

Teacher economics

• This refers to your editorial ‘Learn this lesson’ (IE, June 26). More than the material compensation given to him, the government as well as the society at large needs to change its attitude towards the role of a teacher in the national development. More often we have been hypocritical in merely expressing sympathy to the teacher’s genuine grievances than seriously undertaking to reform the system in this respect. In the last two decades of ‘commercialisation of economy’, education has been treated as a commodity bought across the counter and the teacher’s stature has been reduced to a petty shopkeeper’s. While the government has degraded him by pushing him to work amidst poor infrastructure together with a low pay, the private sector (the ubiquitous public schools) has exploited his compulsion to stay near home by forcing him to work overtime with far less salary than what he would get in government schools. No doubt there are quite a few unmotivated teachers bringing a bad name to this noble profession. Has the government ever asked itself who recruited such people?

— Ved Guliani, Hisar

Global farm

• The government’s move of allowing the private sector to import wheat from the global market is a welcome one. Only when this move is backed by a cut in the customs will it be successful in controlling the rising wheat prices. The fears that any such move will be detrimental to the Indian farmer are exaggerated. After the opening up the electronics market, Indians have had world class goods available at competitive prices. Even today the country reaps the benefits of the 1991 economic reforms. No reasons why opening up of the agricultural sector, if properly implemented, will not benefit the country.

— Abhishek Law, Kolkata

Why Mumbai alone?

Story continues below this ad

• This refers to Rahul Bose’s ‘Rude? So? It’s the warmth that counts’ (IE, June 24). Readers’ Digest survey says Mumbai is rudest city. But during last year’s Mumbai floods the best spirit of brotherhood was seen in the city, with the citizens helping each other remarkably. Had it been Delhi, we could not have seen the same human face. If the road rage in Delhi is any indicator, Delhiites could well be the rudest in the world. A similar survey of different government offices and PSUs dealing with the public would tell us that the staff of all nationalised banks and post offices are the rudest.

— Mahesh Kapasi, New Delhi

Krrish protest

• The BJP’s protest against the release of film ‘Krrish’ in Indore on the plea that Priyanka Chopra has nexus with the underworld has no logic. If it is proved that she has any connections with underworld, the whole film cannot be blamed. If the allegations are proved, no producers will risk giving her a role in their films in future. A lot of politicians these days are alleged to have underworld links. How come we see no protest of this kind?

— Mahesh Kumar, New Delhi