Tough ladies

It is disturbing that no newspaper other than yours seems to adequately cover important issues concerning the welfare of women.

8226; It is disturbing that no newspaper other than yours seems to adequately cover important issues concerning the welfare of women. But your reports have exposed just how some MPs tried to kill the Womens8217; Reservation Bill. You have also shown how the government denies equality to women in the armed forces.

Women are not eligible for permanent commission in the Indian army and air force, they are compulsorily retired in the prime of their life, even though they have to prove to be equal to men in all respects. But the government has denied 8220;any sort of discrimination8221; against women in court. The government counsel has stated that 8220;women officers accepted the job knowing well the conditions of service from the outset8221; and added that 8220;this is a policy matter8221;. Does that mean outdated policies should not be changed?

8212; Kamala Sundaresan

Pune

8226; Women commissioned officers have been serving in defence for the last 15 years. This was sufficient time for the military top brass to decide whether they were suitable for the tasks entrusted to them. If a woman officer has worked well, there is no reason why she should not be suitable for permanent commission. When there is a deficiency of commissioned officers, there is no justification for 8220;retiring8221; trained and experienced women officers if they are willing to serve further.

There is a need to give a larger number of vacancies to women so that they can fulfil their aspirations and serve the nation by joining a field where many men are scared to tread.

8212; H.S. Gur

Hisar

Exit loser

8226; This refers to your editorial 8216;Carry on Doctor8217;. The Supreme Court has called Anbumani Ramadoss8217;s bluff over his personal war with P. Venugopal. Ramadoss made all-out efforts to see that Parliament passed the ordinance ensuring the untimely exit of Venugopal. You are right in saying that despite India8217;s enormous public health needs, ministers choose to fight 8220;imaginary monsters8221;. The health minister should now resign.

8212; S.K. Gupta

Delhi

One, united tongue

8226; I agree with M.S. Ananth8217;s view that multilingualism will shatter the fabric of the Indian administration. Macaulay wanted English to be taught in India to produce natives with a working knowledge of the language. But once the language was established, it produced Raja Ram Mohun Roy, Tagore, J.C. Bose, Tilak, Gokhale, Gandhi and Nehru. The British were finally thrown out by this very language. The mode of governance and the cultural diversity of India is such that it cannot be run without English. After all, English gave us a language which made us a nation.

8212; M.G. Kapahy

Delhi