Opinion Not buying
The article Capturing the kirana fails to convince
Not buying
* The article Capturing the kirana (IE,October 4) fails to convince. It assumes that FDI in retail will adversely affect unorganised retail to the extent that kirana stores will be replaced by upmarket grocery centres,despite all the arguments to the contrary. Even if we assume that kirana stores will be replaced,that the power bases of regional political parties will be affected is too big a leap to make. If this was so,regional parties like the DMK and the SP would oppose the move with greater force and topple the government. Also,the claim that regional parties rely on local sources of corruption is dubious who is to say they will not be able to attract funding from corporate retail chains,possibly in return for access to more markets? I do not think that we can conclude that regional elites feel threatened by retail reform merely on the basis of the recent posturing.
Gurpreet S. Goraya
Mohali
The provoked
* I read with interest Javed Anands On the other side of fear (IE,September 29) and the response by C.M. Naim Islamophobia and blasphemy (IE,October 2). Both fail to dwell enough on one fundamental question why do so many Islamic societies across the world respond so viscerally to such provocation? Admittedly,these societies are deeply religious and any derogation to the Prophet should be condemned. But then again,there are no guarantees in this hyper-connected world. The sole purpose of the video was to provoke,and these societies walked into the trap.
Satinderjit Singh
Subject to debate
* It would be a breakthrough if our major political parties started having televised debates,suitably modifying the US pattern. At the national level,parties can discuss the big issues their manifestoes,price rise,economic growth,delayed justice,corruption,defence,communal divides and the like. At the state level,local issues of promise versus performance,unemployment,law and order,education,industrialisation,etc can be discussed.They should be moderate,rather than shrill and accusatory. Could we try out this experiment for the forthcoming elections in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh?
Raghubir Singh
Cost of living
* Apropos the article Centre hikes DA by 7 per cent (IE,September 25),this hike in the salaries and pensions of Central government employees is welcome. State government employees are also petitioning the government,and I am certain that municipal employees will also agitate and get similar hikes in their dearness allowance. This is meant to cushion them from rising commodity prices and market instability. The rest of the population is also reeling from the current inflation what recourse do they have? They should refuse to cast their vote if things continue this way.
Gopal D. Sant
Pune
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