Opinion To be prepared
Shekhar Gupta has justifiably raked up some pertinent questions about our preparedness to deal....
•Shekhar Gupta has justifiably raked up some pertinent questions about our preparedness to deal with security issues as any lackadaisical approach in this regard could cost us dearly (That dangerous feeling,IE,June 13). The ongoing terror-related developments in Pakistan coupled with the fluid security situation in the rest of our neighbourhood cannot be overlooked for obvious reasons. We should never forget that Pakistan is taking on the Taliban in Swat and elsewhere only to please America to extract economic and military benefits. The prime minister has offered an olive branch to Pakistan but it is highly unlikely to walk the talk. Its time to totally revamp our internal security set-up,especially to deal with Maoists,and to upgrade our armaments.
S.K. Gupta Chandigarh
On to square two
•As C. Raja Mohan has argued in Catch the mice (IE,June 15),there is no question of returning to the status quo ante in re-establishing the peace process with Pakistan. After 26/11 it has become necessary to re-chart the path,as there is no serious and practical change in the policies of our neighbouring state,especially when it is releasing terrorists believed to be responsible for 26/11.
Sunil Dogra New Delhi
Scrap it
•The Local Area Development scheme of the members of Parliament (MPLAD) has so much been a matter of controversy that even former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee was in favour of scrapping it. Your editorial Rs 5 crore questions (IE,June 16) says that while charges of corruption have inevitably raged,many,if not most,projects under the scheme have proceeded properly. However,the system of a legislator directly becoming the executive provides wide scope for selective use and misuse of public funds. When there are planned development works for every area there is no justification for the MPLAD scheme. The fact is that the MPLAD scheme is more political than developmental. The Administrative Reform Commission has rightly recommended that the scheme be scrapped.
M.C. Joshi Lucknow
Changing equation
•An RSS ideologue has sarcastically suggested that the BJP abandon Hindutva (Give up Hindutva…,IE,June 15). However,the undertone and implication is that the RSS wants to have its cake and eat it too. It would like the BJP to sustain Hindutva and yet gain political power. Its abundantly clear that voters at large have rejected religious fundamentalism. The RSS ought to contain its political ambitions and focus on social and cultural activities for which it was formed and let the BJP pursue its power games.
C.S. Pathak Pune
Exit lessons
•Indias T20 World Cup exit may have come as a surprise because we were projected as a strong contender thanks to the IPL. Its obvious now that IPL and T20 World Cup standards arent the same,besides foreign players learnt better from the IPL than our boys.
Deepak Chikramane
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