Opinion Capital crime
Supreme Court Justice Katju is right in observing that those who burn women to death for dowry should hanged.
• Supreme Court Justice Katju is right in observing that those who burn women to death for dowry should hanged. Every civilised citizen of this country would agree that nothing less than capital punishment for the guilty would teach a lesson to potential bride burners and practising torturers. If every individual was discerning enough and had a conscience to fall back on,there would be no need for laws. But the sense of right and wrong is not wired into every human brain. Although laws are a human creation,and thus incomplete and imperfect,they are still our best bet.
Sudhangshu Laha
New Delhi
NCP facade
• The editorial Ten long years exposes Sharad Pawars façade in maintaining the separate entity of the NCP while continuing to participate in the Congress-led UPA government,with Sonia Gandhi as its chairperson. Pawar and P.A. Sangma had parted company with the Congress in protest against Gandhi being projected as the prime ministerial candidate in the late 90s. Increasingly,it appears that Messrs Pawar and Sangma had formed the NCP out of hubris and political one-upmanship rather than any ideological
reason or differences with the Congress over policy.
Hema Langeri
Hoshiarpur
Shindes chance
• Sushilkumar Shinde has been given another term in the power ministry. This is his opportunity to translate his plans into reality. Many of his envisaged projects are meant for Maharashtra. Shinde knows the state inside out,as he knows its politicians and their entrenched self-interest. He must keep such leaders at
arms length and prioritise development alone. For instance,Vilasrao Deshmukh now talks of bringing industry to
Maharahstra as Union minister. The same Deshmukh did little as chief minister. Shinde knows what to do; he must act now.
Ashok R. Shinde
Sane Iran?
• Farid Zakarias Getting Iran right asserts that Iranian theocrats are against nuclear weapons; but he also claims that the same bunch finds the mad mullah Ahmadinejad a thorn in its side. Which part of the Iranian administration actually controls the nuclear programme? Without this answer,the article remains merely speculative. The fact remains that playing realpolitik,as Iran evidently does,is no guarantee of sanity. Were it so,the world would not dread Chinas rise,or Pakistan,or a nuclear-armed North Korea.
Anand Mathur
Curious logic
• It was perplexing to read Isaac Balbins Dear parents and students. Balbin is right that people ought not to make generalisations about a country witnessing such selective attacks. Yet,why does he mention pockets of violence in India? Is it a suggestion that because parts of New Delhi are unsafe for women at night,Indians shouldnt be highlighting the attacks in Melbourne?
Surendra Sundararajan
Baroda
Share
