No shortcuts

In the context of the Andhra Pradesh government8217;s order giving reservations in government jobs and educational institutio...

In the context of the Andhra Pradesh government8217;s order giving reservations in government jobs and educational institutions to the entire Muslim community in the state, all right-thinking persons will agree with your conclusion, 8216;8216;The extension of reservations to a whole religious community is arbitrary and indiscriminate. It is an act of a government that is cynical or lazy or both. Public debate must rouse itself to immediately challenge this order8217;8217; 8216;YSR, no Sir8217;, July 14. If we are really interested in improving the lot of the masses, the only way out is to implement the constitutional provision of providing free and compulsory education to all children between the ages of six and 14 years. And enable them to move upwards in the ladder of development.

8212; Vidya Sagar Delhi

Rs 1 lakh barrier

8226; The proposed amendment to the Income Tax Act, providing full rebate to income tax payers with a total income of Rs 1 lakh could prove a harsh measure for those whose income exceeds Rs 1 lakh, in the absence of marginal relief. For example, if a person8217;s income is Rs 100,100, he would be required to pay income tax at the existing tax rates, amounting to thousands of rupees. The Union finance minister should reconsider the proposal and introduce marginal relief to such tax payers.

8212; R.N. Lakhotia Delhi

Raise the bar

8226; The induction of Raja Bhaiyya into the Uttar Pradesh cabinet is yet another sad chapter in the history of Indian politics 8216;The Raja8217;s comeback8217;, IE, July 19. Raghuraj Pratap Singh has several criminal charges pending against him. This shows the fast falling standards in our political system. It is ironical that when in all other professions there are specific qualifications, there is nothing of the sort in such a crucial field like politics in our country!

8212; V. Rajesh Mumbai

Parliamentary tactic

8226; Before they get elected, candidates promise the moon to the electorate. After their election, most disappear from sight. Perhaps it would be a good idea to keep an attendance record of each member of Parliament while it is in session. Also, there should be a record of the contributions if any made by them in parliamentary proceedings. This would include their voting record, the issues they raised, the questions they asked, the bills they helped pass, etc. It should also record any disruptive behavior they might be indulging in that prevents Parliament from conducting its business and also all the frivolous time-wasting tactics that they might be resorting to. This record should be made public after every Parliament session so that the electorate can get a good idea about what each MP has been up to.

8212; Ranjan Mazumdar Vientiane

Tough balance

8226; Once again the dispute of seat sharing between private professional colleges and state governments and the fee structure has come before the Supreme Court. The governments want to admit more deserving and meritorious students for a lesser fee. The private colleges want more money. Now they show their working cost as a reason for higher fee. The court should pronounce a verdict that will protect the interests of weak and deserving students.

8212; R. Balachandran Bangalore