Opinion Long overdue
This refers to the editorial,Free at last. Revising fuel pricing was not an easy task for the UPA...
This refers to the editorial,Free at last (IE,June 26). Revising fuel pricing was not an easy task for the UPA government because of political compulsions. In fact,this decision was overdue and could not be further deferred. This step will be beneficial to our economy in the long run because it will help government shrink the budget deficit due to the heavy oil subsidy. With PSU oil firms incurring heavy losses because of administered pricing,this paves the way for healthy competition. Though its true that already sky-rocketing inflation will further increase due to decontrol and that,in order to contain this higher inflation,the RBI may raise interest rates,theres no need for common people to panic because the higher base effect will negate the rise in the long term.
Manoj Parashar
Greater Noida
Hurting the poor
The governments decision to raise petrol,diesel and LPG prices will certainly fuel core inflation. The government says that petroleum products price hike will help oil PSUs cut their losses and avert an impending financial crisis. Whatever the governments argument,the decision is not going to hurt the affluent but its ripple effects are definitely going to badly hurt poorer people already crushed under the galloping inflation of food prices. For obvious reasons,the opposition is going to oppose the hike. The remedy lies in curbing ubiquitous corruption and wasteful government expenditure and also in taking other steps towards ensuring a robust fiscal discipline.
R.J. Khurana
Handling Pakistan
This refers to Pranab Dhal Samantas Holding the conversation (IE,June 25). The writer has maturely dissected the physiology of stop-start dialogue characteristics of Indo-Pak engagement. Presently,Indias quandary with whom and how to engage in Pakistan has few answers. Thus the present exploratory mission will not be of any use if we dont come to terms with the fact that Pakistan in essence is a segmented society. Each segment exercises considerable influence in its area. Thats why the hyphenated approach is failing to evoke any substantial action from the Pakistani side. In such a situation,multiple engagement strategies have more chances of success. Simultaneous discussions should be started with the army,civil society,fundamentalists and,of course,the political class.
Mohammed Furquan
New Delhi
Another pact?
The success of the foreign secretary level talks in Islamabad can go a long way towards signing another Indo-Pak peace pact. This would be a valuable addition to the list of pacts previously consigned to historys archives such as the Nehru-Liaquat,Shastri-Ayub,Indira Gandhi-Bhutto,Vajpayee-Musharraf pacts.
Arun Malankar
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