Opinion Hope & glory
The role of Indian soldiers in building political stability in Europe,the Indian Ocean region and the Far East has been significant....
•The role of Indian soldiers in building political stability in Europe,the Indian Ocean region and the Far East has been significant. That Indian soldiers were allowed to march down the Champs-Élysées on Bastille Day should make the army and Indians proud about the past and hopeful about the future. Also,its time Indians learnt to dissociate the British Indian army the predecessor of independent Indias army from the political contours of the Raj.
Rathin K. Chanda
Chinsurah
Worthy still
•For any infrastructure project to meet its deadline,speed and professionalism must go hand-in-hand (Strangers to haste,IE,July 16). Theres no room here for complacency and compromise. Barring a few mishaps,big and small,the Delhi Metro project has been moving very successfully,and has become a model for Metro projects in other Indian cities. The USP of the Metros Delhi chapter has always been the new work culture inseparable from it. Thats how it was meeting deadlines,yet staying more or less within budget. We dont know yet what exactly caused the recent accident. But on the whole,the Indian public and private sectors involved in infrastructure projects should emulate the
Delhi Metro.
S.K. Gupta
Power to the people
•This refers to Pratap Bhanu Mehtas Subjects to citizens (IE,July 16). In
India,panchayat institutions have long been acknowledged to be the best means of bringing democracy to the grassroots level. The 73rd Amendment to the Constitution was seen as a revolutionary step in this direction. However,it led to growth without roots,since local government was not empowered to the extent it should have been. Indian politicians and bureaucrats have been reluctant to devolve power to local government. Delivery mechanisms cannot be effective till proper decentralisation occurs.
Dheeraj Pandey
Ghaziabad
An uncaring public?
•There is obvious public insensitivity towards the massacre of men in uniform (Colour of khaki,IE,July 15). This apathy results from the disproportionate attention paid to the likes of foreign-funded NGOs and activists operating in tribal areas by sections of the media. The media is ever so eager to cover candle-light vigils of socialites and intellectuals. But while it campaigns for the release of a Binayak Sen,the press has failed in its task of generating a healthy,informed public opinion. The general publics apparent lack of interest in the welfare and safety of the men fighting the Naxalites is thus not surprising.
Ajay Tyagi
Chinese lessons
•Its ironic indeed that China Pakistans staunchest ally against India is now threatened by Al Qaeda,which has vowed to avenge the killing of Uighurs in Xinjiang. Its hoped that,despite the use of brutal force in Xinjiang,China will learn how to treat human beings,beginning with its own citizens.
V.K. Saxena
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