Shocking, avoidable

regulating the crowd, stopping coconut offerings when these were becoming hazardous

and having better communication system, possibly the loss of so many precious

lives could have been avoided. At least a part of the offerings in any religious

place must be spent in improving the facilities for the devotees.

The concerned authorities should take stringent measures to regulate the setting

up of stalls by vendors near places of worship. Stalls should be allowed only

at selected locations 8212; with the selection done after an indepth study by experts.

The recent kidnapping of young students like Kishalay and Ravikant in Bihar and

the subsequent protests by the student community in the state backed up by media

attention should have alerted the RJD government and the official establishment.

The lack-lustre and criminalised police force of Bihar, contrary to expectations,

has plunged into the task of rescuing the children with great alacrity. This chain

of events has re-established the importance of public participation by the youth

in our country. National reconstruction can only be made possible if the student

community takes up issues of public concern, and works toward its ideals and goals.

In your editorial 8216;Elocution Commission?8217; January 25, you have done well in

pointing out to T.S. Krishnamurthy the perils of loose talk by a person who holds

the constitutional post of the chief election commission of India.

Your editorial 8216;Eyes wide shut8217; January 21 has obviously been written with tongue

firmly in cheek, disagreeing as it does with the Supreme Court8217;s judgement that

sleeping on the job constitutes valid ground for dismissal on the ground that

this deeply antithetical to Indian traditions, especially as far as public sector

employees are concerned.
After all, we have already attained a kind of 8216;Ram

Rajya8217; based on our national motto, 8216;8216;Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram, Poora Paisa Adha

Kaam8217;8217;!