Letters to Editor

Tax the rich

I fully concur with the views expressed by Prasoon S Majumdar in his column ‘Tax the wealthy’ (TSI, Sept 19-25) wherein he advocates the need to raise the tax on the wealthy. It is an accepted fact that the rich in the country have devised several methods to dodge taxes and most of them have brilliant chartered accountants who are well versed with the art of camouflaging their incomes and manoeuvring their gains in such a way that they are able to evade tax to the maximum extent possible. Unfortunately it is the salaried class who bears the burden of taxes. All this goes against the principle that the strongest shoulders should bear the heaviest burden. The government lacks the will to tax the rich more as this affluent class of society contributes the maximum to the political parties in the form of donations. The citizens of this nation should join hands in an effort to change the country’s tax structure and introduce reforms that pave the way for a larger collection of taxes from the rich class. The loopholes in tax laws should be plugged and the rich should be prevailed upon to contribute their legitimate share of tax.

Ramya Aravind
Bangalore

A Chinese lesson

The editorial by Arindam Chaudhuri 'Lessons for India from the magic of overseas Chinese!' (TSI, Sept 12-18) was very informative as it aptly analysed the role of 50 million plus overseas Chinese, settled across the world, are facilitating the Chinese ambitions of global cultural and political colonisation as they have made themselves inimitable in almost all spheres of influences. People of Chinese origin residing overseas, returned overseas Chinese and their relatives, as well as overseas Chinese entrepreneurs have made significant contributions to China's development. The credit for this goes to Deng Xiaoping whose economic reforms in the 1980s, accompanied by a call for intellectual liberation, created spaces for liberal nationalism to spread out and have a greater impact in contemporary China. After Xiaoping, his successors Jiang Zemin and Hu Jintao too followed his policies and focused on national unity. India should take a leaf out of China's book to encourage its NRIs and business class to participate in India's next stage of development and promote communication and cooperation between India and other  nations.

Dilbag Rai
Chandigarh

Dawn of hope

At a time when we almost decided to write off the Kashmir Valley, the article by Haroon Reshi ('The Valley beckons', Sept 12-18) came as a silver lining to rekindle the fire of hope that the Valley has regained most of the good nuances that are required to instill the desired peace and tranquility into its heart and soul. Though the decades long animosity created and kept alive by the enemies of our nation still lingers to thwart the efforts to bring in peace and unity among the people of Kashmir, welcome changes (like elections to the panchayats with an active participation of a large number of people, the once misled and anti-government youth now eagerly taking up government jobs, the army men learning the Kashmiri language to bond with the locals, the tech-savvy and the once high crowned CM mellowing down and opening his castle to the public for a regular janata darbar and to top it all, exodus of the Kashmiri Hindu Pandits coming to an end with their return in bunches to their abandoned abodes in the Valley), sound the death knell of a parting anarchy, infiltration and violence. The day is not far when there would be peace and normalcy in the divine Valley and the state will regain its past glory.

Shalini Fernando
Chennai

Historical chapter

This refers to 'Historic Tashkent Talks' (Media Watch, Sept 12-18). The revealing article about the untimely death of great Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri at Tashkent during the parleys with Ayub Khan of Pakistan made an occupying read. This write up stands as an excellent piece to the readers of Media Watch. With the introduction of Media Watch as a supplement, the TSI has entered into a glorious chapter.

Satya Murty
Kakinada

Death by diamonds

Arindam Chaudhuri's edit 'Poverty and death amidst diamonds...” (TSI, Sept 19-25) enlightened me in the true sense. I could never imagine even in my wildest dreams that the funding for 9/11 had its roots in Africa's diamond mines. This is a revelation! Also, I found it horrifying even to imagine the brutal amputation of hands, feet, ears and noses of civilians in Africa. What's even more disturbing is the occurrence of staggering 1.7 million deaths in war ravaged Democratic Republic of Congo since 1988. All this must stop forthwith! But who will bell the cat? All this happened just for the sake of diamonds. The man has become so monstrous that he has left snakes behind as they don't bite until disturbed. The whole world must act in unison to stop this butchering of innocents to make Africa a worthy place to visit and stay.

Sanjeev Sirohi
Meerut

Influence on Kashmir

Referring 'The Valley Beckons' (TSI, Sept 12-18). As Kashmir's chief minister mentioned in the interview, the people of Kashmir are really fed up with the constant agitations. The public's enthusiasm in participating and voting in panchayat elections prove that they are interested in the democratic process. It is also a reason that Kashmiris did not listen to separatists’ boycott for panchayat elections. Perhaps this is why Kashmir's public wants to cut down the size of army deployed there! Kudos to media as the educated Kashmiri youth and the public is participating in debates organised by print media and national TV channels. Although both police and army have recently improved their attitude towards the public, there are still some roots of terrorism in the Valley and there is still some fire underneath the surface. Congratulations to The Sunday Indian for bringing the present situation and report on Kashmir in depth.

Pudumai Balakrishnan
Pondicherry

The American debt deal

The article titled ‘A trap in the making’ (Undercover, Sept 12–18) deftly analyses the pros and cons of the debt ceiling vis-à-vis the US debt crisis. The 11th hour debt deal on August 1, 2011 between the Republicans & the Democrats managed to ward off the default risk for the time being. The House of Representatives managed to break the political deadlock and approved a deal to raise the borrowing limit by $2.4 trillion and simultaneously cut spending by an equivalent amount. There was very little option other than to raise the debt ceiling. If the borrowing limit was not raised, the country would have run out of money to pay and interest and principal on treasury bonds as well as for other expenses, which would have been unprecedented in American history. As the government spending is a key economic driver, several economists have been critical of the US government’s decision to cut spending, when its economy is already hit by low consumption, poor investment, and bloated imports. Possible cuts could force more layoffs in both the public and private sectors, pressing the 9.2 per cent unemployment rate higher.

Jaideep Sarkar
Kolkata

Is congress corrupt?

Referring cover story 'State of the nation...' (TSI, Sept 19-25). The Congress has accused the BJP of being pro-religion and biased. But what exactly has the Congress done? It has glorified poverty and tried to be a savior. It has manipulated the emotions of the poor and the middle class has been seduced into paying taxes. The subsidies have proved expensive and it seems unfair that the taxpayers are penalised. The poor are getting a lot of things free or on subsidised rates but the middle-class is taxed and their hard work is never rewarded. This dangerous trend of being pro-poor is a trick being played. The poor have been mocked at and they end up as vote banks. Being a taxpayer hurts. We always end up being taxed so that the poor gets a- subsidy filled life. No one questions the poor about the number of members in their families. Poverty has been glamourised by this government. They want to be messiahs but have never liberated the poor.

Pramila Chirukandan
Kondhwa, Pune

Too early to call

Former Congress minister Arun Nehru has tread his lines very carefully while analysing the trend of the next general elections in 2014 and the prospects of the UPA and NDA in "State of the Nation...” (TSI, Sept 19-25). The apprehensions of Arun Nehru, about the present day surveys of elections, are true to a great extent. Despite the fact that the print and electronic media play their roles very effectively, at times they too exceed their brief. Unlike before, the present surveys do not reveal the true intentions of the common man who prefers to keep his decision confidential till he stamps his precious vote. When there is sufficient time before the next general elections are held, we have to wait and watch how the common man makes up his mind on various factors that are going to persuade him to decide who should rule the nation. Who knows they might forgive the UPA, presently swarmed with corruption and inefficiency, than to bring the communal minded and religious fanatic BJP back to power.

Tharcius S. Fernando
Chennai