Babus first
* In The Officer Raj (IE,October 15),Shekhar Gupta raises the issue of the ascendancy of the bureaucracy in the UPA 2 government. Not only does it mark the decline of the influence of policymaking legislators,it also creates a system of governance in which right,rigid,slow procedures supersede right,productive,quick outcomes. The rise of babudom can be traced to two other factors too. The prime minister and some of his colleagues have a bureaucratic mindset. Besides,the emergence of several news channels has tempted bureaucrats to become visible after years of anonymity.
Y.G. Chouksey,Pune
* The article The Officer Raj reminds me of the countrys real rulers,the Yes,Minister and Yes,Prime Minister-type bureaucrats sitting in their AC cabins and running the government. But now,when their bosses are compelled to go into hiding,they feel the need to come out with brave faces.
K.K. Kshirsagar,Pune
Blame not the babus
* Shekhar Guptas The Officer Raj is an incisive and clinical study of various cases that smack of civil service dominance. But the comparison of civil servants to the subordinates of ministers is contentious. Civil servants are more qualified to run the country and politicians,as representatives of the people,must ensure the interests of the people are not violated. On the contrary,we see politicians working for their personal ends and civil servants standing for the peoples interest. Further,the provisions laid down in the legislature are very broad and their proper implementation has to be ensured by the bureaucrats.
Akshay K. Agrawal,Varanasi
Left out
* This refers to the editorial Seven days (IE,October 17). Leftist extremists continue to exercise power by opposing development and freedom of speech. Areas where people are mostly uneducated lack the presence of mainstream,constitutional political parties as well as a sufficient infrastructure for governance. Unemployment and socio-economic disparity are also responsible for the rise of extremism. The people of Jungle Mahal cannot get relief because they have no powerful umbrella. If Mamata Banerjee regularly monitors the law-and-order situation in Jungle Mahal,and if the people get work,food,shelter and a minimum personal wealth,we can surely see a balanced and peaceful society emerge.
Uttam K. Bhowmik,Tamluk
Coal dark
* This refers to the editorial Festival of darkness (IE,October 17). Ironically,the news of a lack of coal at our disposal comes around Diwali,the festival of lights. It makes sense to have a re-look at the monopoly of CAIL,as a monopoly is good only for the company in question and not for the consumer.
Bal Govind,Noida
