US or China?

• This is in response to the article, ‘Sleeping Elephant, Hungry Dragon’, by C. Raj...

• This is in response to the article, ‘Sleeping Elephant, Hungry Dragon’, by C. Raja Mohan (IE, November 7). The writer has indeed given an eye-opening insight as to how China is growing its footprint in the Indian subcontinent. Indian policy makers cannot complain about this because whatever China is doing it is doing in its own national interest. In fact the lesson we get to learn from this is to get our foreign policy in order and pursue our national interest in the same way as being done by China. Our past policy of non-alignment made us a loser with no Big Powers on our side. In our own national interest it is high time that India develops a visible tilt to any one of the two big powers — the US and China. A tilt towards US would help us continue to strengthen our muscle in the IT and Services domain and a shift towards China will help us improve bilateral trade.

— Sushil Mehra Bangalore

Review quotas

• The recent judgment of the AP High Court quashing a state government ordinance providing for five per cent reservation to Muslims in government jobs and educational institutions brings to focus the question of the impact of reservations and who are the real beneficiaries. Do reservations help in improving the conditions of the really underprivileged, or are the so-called ‘creamy layers’ grabbing them? Reservations have been there for nearly six decades after Independence. Originally they were meant to be for a period of ten years or so. If reservations are needed even after three generations have enjoyed the benefits, a thorough study should be made as to their utility and if still needed ways and means should be found to make it available to the truly underprivileged and not the creamy layers who continue to enjoy them at the cost of their needy poor cousins.

— V.S. Venkatavaradan Salem

Due credit

• Being a MP from Haryana I thank you for publishing the front page news today to show what Haryana had achieved a real success (‘Haryana just beat Punjab’, IE, October 28). Your correspondent perhaps missed the dates. He has mentioned that the achievement in the year 2003-2004 is due to the present CM. You are aware that Om Parkash Chautala remained CM for six years and the present chief minister took over only in March this year. The comparison made in the news is for the year ’03-’04 when Chautala was the CM.

— Tarlochan Singh Chairman, NCM New Delhi

Hasty remarks

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• I am deeply concerned that Natwar Singh is unable to discern the difference between his own personal interests and the national interest. His abrupt and hasty remarks on the Iraqi provisional government and the United Nations. Even after his being relinquished of his portfolio, it is hard to see how he can prevent his own indignation and hurt from distorting policy decisions which have to be based on cold logic and national self-interest rather than one individual’s concerns and interests.

— R. Kumar Mumbai

Credible voice

• Paul Volcker is the most reputed individual you can find in the US or for that matter in the world (‘Govt moves, Natwar unmoved’, IE, November 7). Believe me, if his report says that Indian officials are involved in the scandal they are most probably — indeed most certainly — involved.

— Prakash Navare New York