• This is not the first time that our external affairs minister has failed to come to grips with the essential features that have shaped foreign policy since Indira Gandhi’s time. His regret over India’s current nuclear policy, understandably, raised eyebrows at the highest level of the government (IE, December 16). Twice earlier he had committed a faux pas — over sending troops to Iraq and with his observation about the Simla Agreement being the basis for solving the Kashmir issue. On both issues, he had to make a hasty retreat. In mitigation, it must be said that he has exhibited his fatal flaw of trying to be agreeable to the country he visits, earlier it was the US, and now it is Korea. Presumably, he really believes that this is the best way to advance India’s foreign policy. — H.R. B. Satyanarayana Mysore • I highly appreciate your editorial, ‘Not on, Natwar’ (IE Dec 18). Our foreign minister has blundered, if what he is reported to have uttered in Seoul is true. The PM trying to cover up by saying that it was not a policy statement is unbelievable, considering his credibility . — S.R. Gaitonde On e-mail Only 30 per cent • Your euphoria over amendment to Hindu Succession Act as reflected in your editorial, ‘Daughter, Equal Citizen’ is misplaced considering that it will affect only 30 per cent of the population. A reading of Hindu Succession Act will tell you that a large section of people including tribals don’t come under its purview. Considering that 20 per cent of people have their own separate succession inheritance laws — Muslims, Parsis, Christians — we have this Act only for about 30 per cent of the population. The amendment will be welcomed if simultaneous amendments are also made to other acts that includes the section of the people excluded from the Hindu Succession Act. — Gyan Gupta On e-mail • The government’s move to amend the Hindu Succession Act 1956 is welcome. There is no reason why women shouldn’t get the same inheritance rights as men. A change in the law is always the first step for a social change. Now the government should also enact the bill to fight domestic violence as also the Women’s Reservation Bill. — Pranav Sachdeva New Delhi India’s challenge • Well done, Arun Shourie. Thanks for exposing the anti-national Leftists and Congressmen and the Laloo Prasad Yadavs. They are creating disaster and pose a grave threat to India. How do we bring out a Bush style faith based revolution in India is the biggest challenge of our time (‘The ticking bomb inside mosque and madrasa’. IE, December 17). — S. Kumar Hong Kong Interesting times • For years we watched as the BJP paid no regard to the running of the country and made itself the centre of attention through its antics. Vajpayee and Advani contradicted themselves daily, there were grand durbars for the party’s CMs. Since the party’s defeat, it has continued to hold us in thrall. Sushma brandishes a tonsorial threat, Uma first does a motorised trek with a flag and then begins her prodigal daughter drama. But it is the daring of soap opera star Smriti Irani, who called a renowned hero a villain, which has given the BJP the right to collect entertainment tax from us. — Mukul Dube On e-mail
