Obstinacy won

•Shifting the IPL abroad,specifically to South Africa,is tantamount to betrayal of the state,government and people (IPL confirms…’,IE,March 25). Was it so difficult to postpone the tournament by a few weeks? Lok Sabha elections would certainly weigh more than cricket,but an alternative could have been worked out. Modi’s obstinacy has damaged India’s image and disappointed millions of cricket lovers across the country. Things will come to a standstill because of the elections,but life wouldn’t end nor would spectator enthusiasm subside if the IPL were postponed.

— Raghu Seshadri

Chennai

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•This refers to the editorial ‘IPL (Politics)’ (IE,March 24). The IPL is entertaining but it isn’t big enough to get mired in the kind of controversy and politics that it has. The government’s initial jitteriness and then the public bickering have unduly made Lalit Modi a “hero” for cricket lovers around the world. Ironically,Indian cricket lovers won’t forgive him in a hurry.

— S.K. Gupta

Chandigarh

The thin line

•The Indian Express deserves praise for rebuking Varun Gandhi and the BJP and yet pointing out that the EC was overreaching (‘Above advice’,IE,March 25 and ‘Courting trouble’,IE,March 24). Undeniably,the BJP’s tactic of distancing itself from Varun Gandhi’s remarks and yet standing by him has dented its image. The BJP should realise that candidates like Varun are liabilities and not assets. On the other hand,the EC,as you have rightly said,can only advise and no more. Therefore,it should have avoided sounding as if it were overstepping its jurisdiction.

— Vitull K. Gupta

Bhatinda

Self-made

•The EC’s embarrassment over the Varun Gandhi issue is of its own making. It appears that the EC wanted to look as if it was doing something. As your editorial ‘Courting trouble’ pointed out,disqualifying candidates is the courts’ lookout. The EC can only advise,but this time round it had made the “advice” sound more than just that,only to slip back into clarifying that it had only “advised” the BJP.

— Amba Charan Vashishth

New Delhi

Not what’s needed

•All right-thinking readers will endorse your editorial comments on the Varun Gandhi episode. Leaders should be a source of inspiration. Things change for the better only when socially committed visionaries think,speak and work for the greater good. For instance,African- Americans owe their civil liberties and present dignified life ultimately to Abraham Lincoln. Such leaders,time and again,rescue society and pull humanity off the wrong track. India at the moment needs a youth movement that can take on our social ills. Varun Gandhi’s foolishness and the dangerous potential of his words are just not what India needs.

— K.P. Udayabhanu

New Delhi