Opinion Cut right
The UPA governments budget seems appropriate,given the current economic scenario
Cut right
* The UPA governments budget seems appropriate,given the current economic scenario (Budget: Chidambaram budgets for polls,makes it a sop story,IE,March 1). It is inclusive in its approach and fiscally correct. However,a lot will depend on how the clauses of the budget are implemented. The finance minister has done well to protect the interests of the middle class,the youth,women and weaker sections of society,while taxing the rich and the corporates. He was also right to curb the increase in defence expenditure and raise tax on cigarettes. Allocation to HRD will take care of ambitious schemes like Right to Education and the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan.But spending crores on the food subsidy is not a good idea since the delivery system has loopholes and is riddled with corruption. It is also imperative to strengthen infrastructure and increase exports.
Devendra Khurana
Silence in the ranks
* BJP PRESIDENT Rajnath Singhs speech at the party meet in New Delhi was a curious cocktail of hype,hubris,hyperbole,helplessness and hypocrisy. Among other things,he lavished praise on Gujarat CM Narendra Modi. Winning three elections in a row is an achievement but certainly not the first of its kind in India: Jyoti Basu and Manik Sarkar have done it. The BJPs own Raman Singh and Shivraj Singh Chouhan may well do it. Some of the claims about Gujarats development need to be tested against facts. In many respects,other states have matched or exceeded Gujarats success. The absence of a charismatic leader like Atal Bihari Vajpayee might have made the party nervous,prompting it to project Modi. The BJPs top leadership seems to be helpless against Modi and has fallen in line behind him,putting their personal ambitions on the back burner.
Shridhar P. Shukla
Thane
Defence mode
* THIS refers to Scandals,payoff and blamegames (IE,March 2) by Ratna Viswanathan. For strategic reasons,many defence deals are conducted in secrecy,which puts paid to the principle of accountability. Even if secrecy about the countrys defence preparedness is advisable in some cases,deals with foreign companies often endanger it. India would do well to develop its domestic defence industry,with the help of expertise from the public as well as the private sector. This would have the additional benefits of employment generation and saving valuable foreign exchange.
Ajinkya Bankar
Marriage plot
* APROPOS The marrying kind (IE,March 4),rape is a heinous crime and marital rape cannot be acceptable within the bounds of legality. The sexual autonomy of women must be respected. Family values cannot be used to excuse a violation of basic human dignity. A couple should treat each other as partners,one cannot have control over the other.
Anchit Mathur
New Delhi
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