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This is an archive article published on October 30, 2012
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Opinion Mixed message

‘PM sends message,promotes Khurshid’ claims that with Salman Khurshid’s elevation to Minister for External Affairs

The Indian Express

October 30, 2012 03:25 AM IST First published on: Oct 30, 2012 at 03:25 AM IST

Mixed message

* ‘PM sends message,promotes Khurshid’ (IE,October 29) claims that with Salman Khurshid’s elevation to Minister for External Affairs,the government gave the “strongest message” that anti-corruption activists would not be allowed to “dictate its agenda”. Sadly,Manmohan Singh’s government seems to have missed the public outrage that government corruption has caused. A democratically elected government should be sensitive to its citizens. Khurshid’s promotion is tantamount to mocking popular concerns for a probe into the allegations of corruption against him.

— M. Ratan

New Delhi

Do it yourself

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* Apropos ‘Nagpur,we have a problem’ (IE,October 27),the BJP will remain tied to the RSS until the former decides to distance itself from the latter. Its “talented” leaders appear to have their own reasons for bearing with the orders of their RSS bosses. Instead of looking to the RSS for approval,the BJP leadership needs to develop its own strategy,keeping public expectations and the challenges of contesting elections at the forefront of its agenda.

— Satwant Kaur

Mahilpur

Damage control

* THE BJP is desperate to remain in power in Karnataka (‘BJP to meet in Karnataka to ensure Yeddyurappa does not leave party’,IE,October 27). The recent allegations of corruption against party president Nitin Gadkari have weakened public opinion of the party,and the BJP’s state leaders in Karnataka sense that the party’s prospects in the elections next year are bleak. It seems that they think the BJP would have a better chance of returning to power if Yeddyurappa remained with the BJP because he has considerable mass support in the state. With Yeddyurappa being asked to choose between the positions of chief minister and state party president,he may reconsider his decision to quit the BJP and launch his own party. But even if the BJP is able to prevent Yeddyurappa from forming his own party,there is no guarantee that it will remain united or emerge victorious in the upcoming state elections.

— Zulfikhar Akram

Bangalore

Smoke screens

* THIS refers to ‘Jindal says sting shows “extortion bid” by Zee’ (IE,October 26). Naveen Jindal has released a video clip showing that Zeenews demanded Rs 100 crore from him for not airing adverse footage about Jindal Steel and Power Limited in the coal block allocation controversy. This can be called a paid “no news” allegation: a news channel is being exposed for corruption instead of an individual. Whether the negative reports about Jindal are true or not is a separate issue that should be investigated,but the video has raised questions on the integrity of both the print and electronic media.

— Vinod Sharma

Moga