No security issue

• The proposal to provide security to sales executives of oil PSUs is laughable. Apart from t...

• The proposal to provide security to sales executives of oil PSUs is laughable. Apart from the costs of maintaining an army of security guards, its effectiveness is doubtful. If the long history of fuel adulteration is considered, it is obvious that oil companies are not exactly overflowing with Manjunaths. Adulteration could not have flourished without connivance at all levels. A couple of security guards will prove to be mute witnesses if not partners in the game. As is widely suspected, the majority of petrol pumps are owned by politicians and their kin, despite exposes by the Indian Express. The only solution is to abolish subsidy rather than toying with cosmetic corrections like ‘dual pricing’.

— Kishore Karnad On e-mail

PM’s map

• Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s address at the India Economic Summit is indeed a classic document. It is time we cast off out-dated ideas and seize every opportunity to push towards a 10 per cent growth rate. The government should set the pace so that the nation can follow the PM’s road map.

— A.R.K. Pillai Mumbai

Which rules?

• This refers to Manini Chatterjee’s ‘Scent of a woman’ (IE, November 30). Uma Bharati’s senior colleagues in the party feel that she needs to be taught a lesson to respect the rules of the party. But the question they refuse to answer is: What rules? Who makes them? In Bihar, the party has realised that it is only with the cooperation of the Dalits and backwards on a secular agenda that it can hope to gain political power. But in Madhya Pradesh the party has overlooked the majority achieved through leadership of a backward on the bijli-paani-sadak plank.

— Ved Guliani Hisar

Start anew, Uma

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• I read with great interest ‘Scent of a woman’ (IE, November 30). Uma Bharati should seriously think of making a fresh start instead of running from pillar to post to grab plum posts in her party.

— Amit V. Sengupta Kolkata

Right to be angry

• Uma Bharati’s anger is legitimate. She speaks as a woman from the backward classes who made her presence felt in national politics with great effort and hard work. In Madhya Pradesh the BJP uprooted the Congress because of her leadership. She also played a role in the recent Bihar elections.

— Mohd. Mudassir Alam New Delhi

BJP(U)!

• Uma Bharti says she is the real BJP. Let’s take her word for it. When there are differences and disputes it is better to split and have one’s own independent entity as a leader. Why, Umaji, don’t you form another political party, say the BJP(U)?

— Mahesh Kumar On e-mail

Like Indira

• Uma Bharati’s claim “I am the real BJP” (November 30) reminds us of the assertion made years ago, equating India with Indira. Our celebrated leaders must realise that however powerful they may be, the country, its people and institutions take precedence.

— S.C. Kapoor Noida

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Trade talks ‘positive’, govt says will intensify efforts to close US deal early

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India and the US have resumed trade negotiations after the US imposed tariffs on India for buying Russian oil. The sixth round of talks will focus on recognising India's red lines and possibly increasing energy purchases from the US. Other topics include easing patent rules, data flows, and giving US firms procurement access.

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