Opinion Engage,now

Mumbai

Picture imperfect

• The picture and the story ‘Being tested for rail porter’s job’ reveal the harsh reality of unemployment and lack of job opportunities. Women’s living conditions in Uttar Pradesh are particularly pathetic but the problem persists across the country. Nevertheless,the circumstances of this unfortunate woman are in sharp contrast to the UP chief minister’s lavish spending on statues and memorials. Without expenditure on health and education,there’ll be no development and progress in UP.

— Prabhakar K. Borse

Pune

Sensible approach

• Pratap Bhanu Mehta rightly says that there’s no option but to try for peace. It’s right to be patient and probing and yet appreciate virtue where it lies. It’s a different matter altogether that the opposition and certain sections of the Congress itself raised doubts about the Indo-Pak joint statement. War is not a solution,certainly not for developing countries. Democracy is not deeply rooted in Pakistan,its leaders are unreliable. Thus,people are suspicious about the risk involved in the joint statement. The Indian Express editorials and columns hold out a lesson in responsible and sensible reaction to this sensitive issue.

— Shishir Sindekar

Nasik

Dangerous disruption

• The PDP leadership is relentlessly targeting Jammu and Kashmir CM Omar Abdullah over the 2006 Srinagar sex Scandal. The attack on Abdullah is not stopping despite the CBI’s clean chit to him. Somebody needs to sternly tell the PDP that is cannot disrupt a state assembly at will. That is not the mark of responsible opposition. J&K needs governance and development. For that,the legislature and executive must function.

Its politics can’t ply into the hands of the separatists again.

— Deepak Chikramane

Mumbai

So far away

• This refers to Aparna Basu’s article ‘Distant learning’. Basu asserts that India must have more universities,and there is every reason why Murshidabad should have one. But why should it be affiliated to AMU? Does AMU have the administrative structure and academic quality to manage a university hundreds of miles away? Instead,Basu prefers its affiliation to Calcutta University. She rightly concludes,“Let us not allow vote bank politics to dictate educational decisions.”

— S.C. Panda

Bhubaneswar