PSUs: milch cows

Your report on ministers arm twisting the arm of PSU CEOs has blown the “don’t sell the family silver” theory t...

Your report on ministers arm twisting the arm of PSU CEOs has blown the “don’t sell the family silver” theory to smithereens. PSUs are best privatised at the earliest — netas and babus are not to be trusted. Kudos to the CVC, shame on our rulers, but isn’t this what we always suspected?

The neta-babu pyramid feigns self-righteous indignation whenever a private company commits wrongdoing, while similar misdemeanours in a PSU or government department are met with a smirk, a smile, a knowing wink. You may like to investigate and report the fate of the adverse audit observations about PSUs made over the past decade, or cases reported by the media. For instance, the case of ITDC employing cooks for ministers; ex-ministers not paying their bills; political parties owing huge sums to the IAF; PSUs hosting parties for their favourite netas and babus, and so on. In how many cases was justice finally done?
— Rakesh Gupta, On e-mail

Check the bias

Your editorial, ‘Lessons in retreat’ (IE, November 10) is of great thematic interest. This is also an opportune time to address the great gender biases in our society. Here are a few suggestions on how we can ensure this.

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Essentially, all women must become a part of the workforce and not just get tied down to the home. They must be educated and trained in order to do this. If there has to be reservations at all, it should be on a 50:50 basis between the two genders. The eldest child — whether a girl or boy — must get the right to do the last rites of the parents.
— Raghubir Singh, Pune

Islam & contraception

With reference to the article titled, ‘Poison myths’ (IE, November 5), I can confirm without hesitation that Islam foes permits birth control.

Just refer to Hadith No 3371 (Kitab Bhawan, Delhi, 2000).
— Parvez Ghiasuddin, Delhi

Stamp shame

It is no longer a case of mere corruption among the police, politicians and bureaucrats, scams like the false stamp paper scam could threaten national security and the economy (‘Stamp out the scam’, IE, Novemeber 11).
— N.K. Pandit, On e-mail

With regard to the Rs 23,000 crore fake stamp racket (Sunday Express, November 9), it is really shocking to read about IG Sridhar Vagal, an IIT/IIM graduate. If he is really found guilty of corruption, there is certainly something fundamentally wrong in our educational system.
— V. Parthasarathy, New Delhi

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Audit scrutiny

While corruption has become a world phenomenon, it is not that simple for India to get out of its net. There is, however, a way to minimise its spread, if the government is serious that is. Why does the Centre not seriously think of instituting a case for audit scrutiny of the funds of political parties and accredited religious set-ups. Finance Minister Jaswant Singh is the right person to see this demand through by making provision for it in his next annual budget.
— O. Mathai, Thiruvananthapuram

Adani group chief Gautam Adani. The regulator made it clear that none of the charges in the show-cause notice could be proved. It also confirmed there was no violation of the Sebi Act concerning fraudulent or unfair trade practices.

Clean chit for Adani: Sebi dismisses insider trading claims raised by Hindenburg

Business1 hr ago

Sebi clears Gautam Adani and Adani Group of all charges by Hindenburg Research. Allegations of insider trading and market manipulation proved unfounded. No violation of Sebi Act. Adani Group remains committed.

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