Opinion Viva Leander

It’s clear that age is no bar for Paes. Otherwise,at 37,tennis players have usually left the court,and become mentors or administrators. It’s heartening to note that it’s 20 years since Paes first won the junior singles at Wimbledon. Yet Paes still tries to entertain his fans.

— Bidyut K. Chatterjee

Faridabad

Against protests

This refers to Dhiraj Nayar’s ‘And the bandh plays on’,(IE,July 7). Though the bandh was called due to rises in prices of petroleum products,the way in which the protesters executed the bandh was inappropriate. Old people and patients were the worst hit. Many buses were damaged and set on fire,trains were stopped,roads were blocked — due to all of which “government property” was lost. Indirectly,this was the “common man’s money” (taxpayers’),which was “set on fire” by the protesters. The government should fine the protesters who destroyed public property and the amount should be recovered from their respected parties.

— Nimish Gokhale

Pune

Pawar’s way

This refers to the editorial ‘Unproductive yoke’ (IE,July 7). I think you’ve unfairly taken a dig at Sharad Pawar while as usual giving pragmatic advice to the PM to accede to his request. I picture to myself a sculptor with baggage,with part of the contents of which he’s ill-at-ease. He sights an excellent stone by the wayside and requests that his baggage be lightened partly to accommodate the valuable stone. Knowing Pawar’s long association with and contribution to cricket and the honour bestowed upon him by the ICC,what’s wrong if he prefers it to some other jobs entrusted to him,making for an unwieldy baggage? By your own admission,the two departments do make for an unworkable combination,which is not a recent revelation to Pawar but a view held by political pundits ever since Nehru’s time.

— Sitaram Limaye

Vadodara

Left,turning

After successive defeats suffered in recent polls,the communist parties are reportedly coming round to the idea of reverting back to the “good old days” of anti-Congressism. However,this “firm resolve” could vanish into thin air if the Congress fails to secure a majority in the next Lok Sabha election. Then,in order to “preserve” the sanctity of the principle of “secularism”,and to defeat the “communal” forces,the “reluctant” comrades would most willingly extend their “outside support” to a new UPA government.

— Arun Malankar

Mumbai