TV appeal

It was sometime before the 14th Lok Sabha elections that the BJP dedicated itself to exploiting the media. Appearing on TV tal...

It was sometime before the 14th Lok Sabha elections that the BJP dedicated itself to exploiting the media. Appearing on TV talk shows, providing smart and glib soundbytes and churning out articles to print became a ritual and the party looked all set to capture the people8217;s thumb for the 8220;lotus8221; from TV appeal alone. Come November 10, the saffron party is the 8220;party with differences8221;, live on TV. It8217;s time the BJP realised that in a country where more than 70 per cent of the population lives in the villages, drawing-room leaders proving their debating abilities with eloquence in TV studios don8217;t serve the purpose.

8212; Gaurav Dua Delhi

Bring back Uma

8226; A cadre-based party like the BJP is expected to behave with much greater responsibility. It should have been cautious not to show its infighting live on TV. At least the elderly statesmen could have been more circumspect and should not have named the senior leaders while the cameras were on. Sending a serving CM on a wild goose chase on a non-issue and then leaving her in the lurch seem to be part of a game plan. Senior leaders like Vajpayee and Advani must bring Uma Bharati back to the fold. Discipline is not so fragile that it will break by someone speaking the truth.

8212; Raghubir Singh Pune

Like the Congress

8226; Apropos of 8216;Hindu Kush to Hindu Bush8217; IE, November 11, an article with many good observations. However, President Bush can effectively outlaw abortion through a judgement of the Supreme Court overturning the Roe versus Wade decision which legalised abortion and his constituency knows that. The BJP has fallen into the Congress paradigm of being all things to all people, with which you can fool people only so far, no further.

8212; Arul Bhaskar New York

Degree fixation

8226; This refers to 8216;The incredible Indian thesis8217; IE, November 10. Demand induces supply. If you open a newspaper you will see most of the writers described as professors, deans or heads of department of an university or college. I have encountered people who have no education or very little of it coming up with innovative ideas, valuable insight or breakthrough discovery. But, in our country we refuse to recognise a talent unless it is backed by some degrees.

8212; Sucheta Sanyal Kolkata

Look to Wall Street

8226; India8217;s growing ties with the European Union and the US are positive steps. However, a full 13 years after the 1991 Indian economic liberalisation, India8217;s foreign policies are still not driven by economic thinking. India8217;s most important foreign relationship is neither with Washington nor with Brussels but with Wall Street. Indian sovereign debt ratings downgrades by Moody8217;s and S038;P this year and the lack of an investment grade rating are of longer lasting concern than mere political ties. India8217;s ballooning government debt, increasing budgetary deficits, lapses in contractual enforcement allowed by a weak legal regime and clogged court dockets, excessive regulation and bureaucratic discretion and inadequate infrastructure have dampened foreign investor confidence.

8212; Arun Khanna On e-mail