Doubt,unending

The editorial End the doubts has correctly brought out the UPA governments self-contradictory stand on the continuance of P.J. Thomas as CVC.

The editorial End the doubts IE,January 19 has correctly brought out the UPA governments self-contradictory stand on the continuance of P.J. Thomas as CVC. On the one hand,the UPA is reassuring the Supreme Court about the CVC; on the other,it is also agreeing with the court and keeping him away from the 2G spectrum inquiry. The governments defence of his appointment has already undermined its credibility and also led to the perception that the prime minsters own integrity is not reflected in the governments handling of administrative irregularities.

Tarsem Singh New Delhi

The UPAs indifference not only reflects its deluded arrogance as the editorial End the doubts points out,but also points to a much larger and more alarming reality in todays India,so widespread is corruption and so slow the wheels of justice,that the government of the day can get away with virtually any wrongdoing by blithely pointing out similar unpunished wrongdoing by preceding governments.

R.P. Subramanian

New Delhi

School basics

This refers to the editorial Below standard IE,January 18. The move to entitle children aged six to 14 to free education is splendid in a country where the aam aadmi pays little attention to their education. The Right to Education Act is perhaps the most significant piece of legislation passed by the UPA. The provision for 25 per cent reservation in private schools is laudable. We also need to reduce our school drop-out rate and augment enrolment.

Vinod C. Dixit

Ahmedabad

Lost details

Women opt for IVF because of age,inability to conceive or male partners incapacity Nascent stage,IE,January 18. These are personal and confidential reasons; in backward areas,people are embarrassed about discussing them due to the social stigma attached. Women are blamed for being barren. Laws on surrogate motherhood are stringent. The Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction will discuss and formulate its recommendations by March and submit them to the Indian Council of Medical Research. But who will formulate laws on age,health status and the number of transferable embryos? The need is to eradicate myths about IVF to educate women on the subject before they opt for IVF.

Jayashree M. Baxi Pune

Team up,team down

The article Spin out of control IE,January 19 was interesting. I agree that the Indian team needs not an extra spinner but an extra cushion in the pace and batting departments. But we suffer from an old selection disease. How else did Piyush Chawla M.S. Dhonis favourite and R. Ashwin get an edge over Pragyan Ojha? Chawla has not performed well internationally,whereas Ojha has done well in all formats. The non-inclusion of S. Sreesanth and Rohit Sharma shocked many. But this is a

balanced team and deserves to win the World Cup.

Bidyut K. Chatterjee

Faridabad