Now govern

After a decade-long struggle, Pakistanis have finally been able to restore democracy in their country.

8226; After a decade-long struggle, Pakistanis have finally been able to restore democracy in their country. On this landmark achievement the people of Pakistan deserve to be congratulated. By participating in the current elections, the citizens of Pakistan have proved that they are not only capable of defeating a military dictator and his brand of democracy as promoted by the PMLQ but also the fundamentalist forces to a great extent.

Now, all the political parties of Pakistan should appreciate the value of democracy and sink their differences in order to bring stability, peace and prosperity to their country. Also, it is expected of the new government that it will try to strengthen ties with the neighbouring nations especially India so that there will be more harmony and progress in the subcontinent.

8212; Saad Ullah Khan Aligarh

Insulation helps

8226; In 8216;Northeast is India8217; Shekhar Gupta has referred to the 8220;hastening slowly8221; policy of Nehru influenced by Verrier Elwin. He refers to the early years of NEFA as the 8220;lost decades8221; and suggests that the area could have made much progress if it had not been isolated from the rest of the country during the early decades of our independence as a matter of policy.

But if the NEFA areas had been opened up directly after Independence, the onslaught of the mainland people would have resulted in another Nagaland/Mizoram/Assam like situation, with the original inhabitants of the region losing out in every way to the 8220;mainland8221; people. The discontent would have simmered and later exploded into violence.

The 8220;hastening slowly8221; policy has been successful and the original inhabitants are now entering the mainstream secure in the knowledge that their interests have been safeguarded and they have been prepared to take charge of development in their region.

8212; Y. Yunus Mumbai

Wake up and clean

8226; The study by the Institute for Development and Communication states that 76.5 per cent of the people bribe civic body officials to get their basic amenities. This reaffirms the statement of a Supreme Court bench that everywhere we have corruption. Nothing is free from corruption.

8212; Vitull K. Gupta Bhatinda

Outside chances

8226; This is a rejoinder to Bal Thackeray8217;s comments on 8220;outsiders8221;. When has he ever been with the migrants? Has he ever discussed anything which is of some use to Indians in achieving greater heights, other than evoking the 8220;son of the soil8221; shibboleth and its fissiparous effects on the minds of his 8220;own8221; people?

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The sooner he stops preaching such crass parochialism, the better will be the future of Maharashtra and its people, who themselves need the inclusive Indian federal framework.

Or, is it his case that Marathis will never need to live outside Maharashtra?

8212; K.P. Udayabhanu Delhi

With reservations

8226; The BJP is shedding crocodile tears by singularly blaming the Congress for delaying reservation for women in the legislatures. Why did the BJP not get the bill passed during its regime? Rather, UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi was honest in admitting the limitations of alliance politics; she even named her allies who were holding back the Congress in introducing the legislation. If the BJP is sincere in its intentions, it should coordinate with the Left parties to force this Congress-led government to introduce the bill in the budget session, because the combined strength of all the parties vocally supporting the bill is more than enough to have the bill passed.

8212; Madhu Agrawal Delhi