Sparing ministers
This refers to CBI books Birla,former Secy in coal case (IE,October 16). The CBI has,unfortunately,filed an FIR against the former coal secretary,P.C. Parakh,for alleged irregularities and criminal conspiracy in the allotment of two coal blocks in Odisha in 2005. CAG had hailed ex-coal official P.C. Parakh as whistleblower (IE,October 16) explains how,in an August 2012 report,the CAG lauded Parakh for opposing the system of allocation of coal blocks as far back as in 2004. The CAG had also appreciated Parakh for asking the then minister of state for coal,Dasari Narayana Rao,to dispense with the system of distributing coal blocks through the screening committee and to start competitive auctions of captive mines in order to increase transparency. It is incomprehensible that a person can be lauded as a whistleblower and also held as a suspected thief. Why have the then minister of state for coal and the then acting coal minister,Manmohan Singh,been spared by the CBI?
– M.C. Joshi
Be firm
This refers to the editorial Get real (IE,October 16). China should be aware of the risks of aiding Pakistan in its nuclear programme. Pakistans tangled domestic politics is perhaps the single biggest impediment to securing peace in our region. In this context,encouraging Pakistans nuclear agenda is an outrageous act. China is thumbing its nose at India and is violating its international treaty obligations. It is opportunistically using Pakistan to further its goal of regional dominance. Chinas recent actions are not conducive to taking India-China relations forward. During his forthcoming visit to China,the PM should take a firm stand against these provocations.
H.N. Ramakrishna
Swiss trouble
It is interesting to learn that Switzerland has agreed to the exchange of information on matters related to tax evasion and undeclared funds stashed in Swiss bank accounts (Switzerland to share tax info with India,others,IE,October 16). Some political leaders must really be sweating after reading this news. Of course,last heard,they had all discovered new secrecy havens.
P.G. Menon
Markets over banks
The RBI is understood to be revisiting the idea to allow foreign commercial banks to operate more easily in India and will be unveiling its policy on this soon. The RBI governor,Raghuram Rajan,should ensure that the entry of these banks is in the national interest and in the interest of the market not for the benefit of foreign banks alone.
C. Koshy John
