Signifying nothing?

Much noise is made over Natwar Singh8217;s alleged involvement in the oil coupon scandal. Time for us to ask ourself again: h...

Much noise is made over Natwar Singh8217;s alleged involvement in the oil coupon scandal. Time for us to ask ourself again: has any politician been ever convicted of charges of any kind? Recently, the CBI pleaded in a Delhi court that it wanted to drop the case against Satish Sharma, the Congress politician close to the Gandhi family, as the requisite cabinet approval to prosecute him was not forthcoming. The court agreed, thanks to all the loopholes in our constitution to help corrupt politicians. Natwar Singh8217;s case will also meet the same fate after many crores have been wasted on covering it, disruptions of Parliament and inquiries.

8212; Udita Agrawal New Delhi

Sound judgement

8226; The judgement delivered by the Supreme Court of India restraining the Archeological Survey of India from going ahead with its proposed construction of a security site and visitors8217; gallery by demolishing a part of the historical compound of the Taj Mahal at Agra is reassuring. Yet another feather in the cap of the institution of the judiciary!

8212; Abdulruff Colachal New Delhi

Let MPs pay

8226; It has become routine for both houses of Parliament to stop functioning because of some party8217;s boycott of the proceedings on one or another pretext. The incoherence of Parliament on important issues takes a huge toll on the national interest. There should be a minimum number of fixed days for which there must be a smooth functioning of Parliament of both houses. If due to any reason this number is not maintained in a regular session of Parliament, then the session must be extended to meet the minimum number of fixed days of work. If it fails to do so, daily allowance of MPs and other financial incentives must be withheld.

8212; M. Kumar New Delhi

Good question

8226; This refers to Kuldip Nayar8217;s thoughtprovoking 8216;How many more Uma Bharatis and Raj Thackerays?8217; IE, December 7. The recent expulsion of Uma Bharati from the BJP and of Narayan Rane from the Shiv Sena raises the question: should politics be based on ideology or must only realpolitik matter in the running of our democracy?

8212; Anuja Seith New Delhi

No censorship

8226; As Women8217;s World India, a free-speech network of women writers, publishers, editors and activists, we express our deep distress at the action taken by WIPSA Women8217;s Initiative for Peace in South Asia against Sheema Kirmani and her theatre group from Pakistan, for their allegedly anti-US views IE, November 30. For years the women8217;s movement in India and South Asia has struggled against censorship and all forms of silencing by the state, society, family, religious and extremist forces, and political parties. Women8217;s groups across the region have forged solidarity on these and other issues, often in the face of stiff resistance or outright condemnation by vested interests. It is truly regrettable that a women8217;s organisation in India, one that professes to work for peace in the region, should resort to the same kind of arbitrary and repressive action that we condemn in those who exercise their power as an abuse of authority.

8212; Ammu Joseph, Ritu Menon and more than 50 others New Delhi