Reality check

8226; On Monday the sensex touched the 10,000 mark. Television channels were busy ...

8226; On Monday the sensex touched the 10,000 mark. Television channels were busy featuring analysts on the Indian economy. The growth rate, strong fundamentals of the economy, interest of foreign investors etc. At the same time I was reading the series on cotton farmers in the Indian Express. The economics of the cotton farmers are a world apart from the fluctuations of stock markets. India has a long way to go before it becomes an economic superpower. Can we begin by saving the lives of our farmers?

8212; Rajesh Kumar New Delhi

Stronger laws

8226; On February 6, Maoists killed 13 security personnel and injured 17 in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand. On the same day Naxalites killed nine jawans of the Naga battalion. Cross-border terrorism from the Pakistani side also remains highly active. All these various kinds of terrorism indicate very clearly that our domestic and foreign policies are extremely weak. To fight terror, we need stronger laws on our side.

8212; Hansraj Bhat Mumbai

Minding the court

8226; The Supreme Court or the high courts come to the rescue of the ordinary people suffering at the hands of the executive through the mechanism of the PIL. As a result of judicial intervention, a large number of unauthorised constructions and encroachments are now being demolished in the capital despite vigorous protests from the affected people, VVIPs and politicians. Will someone please suggest a similar remedy against the rampant corruption and prolonged delays in dispensing justice in the courts?

8212; Inder Nath New Delhi

Don8217;t blame Sachin

8226; I refer to 8216;Sachin, Inzy may be reprimanded8217; IE, February 7. Sachin does not deserve to be fined for showing his disappointment after being given wrongly out in the Peshawar ODI. While Inzamam showed dissent and he should be punished, Sachin should not be punished as he just showed his disappointment. He didn8217;t say anything to the umpire and just walked off nodding his head.

8212; Amjad K. Maruf Mumbai

Go on, UPA

8226; The UPA Government has proved that it can muster the will to take the correct decisions. Whether it was on airport privatisation or Iran, it did not buckle under the pressure of the Left.

8212; Bidyut K. Chatterjee Bhilai

Better pay

8226; I fully endorse the views in your editorial 8216;At our service8217; IE, February 2. Pay and perks of government servants must keep pace with the market to attract better intake. Also, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh8217;s proposal to recruit bureaucrats after class 12 and then educate and train them for shouldering administrative responsibilities of this great country through an integrated course for five years, needs to be implemented.

8212; Dalip Singh Ghuman Chandigarh