The Bihar loot

Think larger, BJP

• The boycott of Parliament by the BJP is aimed more at the destablisation of the UPA government than at finding a permanent solution to the aberration of the tainted ministers in government. If this party is really against this disease pervading our democratic set- up, it should come up with a legislative proposal to prevent the entry of persons with a criminal record into Parliament, directly or indirectly. The ruling parties must come forward to support such an initiative. This will show the seriousness of the political class to cleansing our public life. Sparring in individual cases will not solve the problem.

— Sachdi Nanda New Delhi

Old warrior

• Karunakaran never could tolerate anyone above him in the party hierarchy. The Congress came to power with a record winning margin. But he began criticising chief minister A.K. Antony immediately, for reasons big and small.
Finally Sonia Gandhi had to change Antony. But Karunakaran didn’t spare the next chief minister either. Where is the Congress’s discipline, its team spirit? All that the aged Karunakaran seems to care about is his son who has been rebuffed by the people of Kerala several times.

— Baburaj Meleparambil Mumbai

Come on, America

• This refers to the report ‘US not surprised at India pressing case’ (IE, May 2). If the US considers it natural for emerging powers like India, Brazil, South Africa and Japan to claim a place in the Security Council, it should support their case wholeheartedly. The inclusion of India in the Security Council as a permanent member will make the august body more reflective of the geo-political realities of the South Asian region. It will give a fillip to the much needed democratisation of the UN. What, then, is the US waiting for?

— Nimesh Patel Porbandar

A life sentence

• Apropos of your editorial ‘Judging workload’ (IE, May 2), neither the government nor the judges themselves, nor the lawyers, are serious about judicial reform. The government mostly uses the judiciary as a brake upon likely proceedings against it. Lawyers use it as a money minting machine, and the poor citizen has to resign to the situation. Sadly, going to court for redressal becomes a ‘‘life sentence’’. The judiciary has completely failed to deliver.

— F.S.K. Barar Jodhpur