Letters to the Editor

Cruel joke
The cover story "Peacetime War" (TSI, June 17) was thought-provoking and touching. It is shocking to note that the war-disabled persons of the Army lead a miserable life as they are not treated on par with the serving or retired Army personnel. They do not get the benefits that they deserve. It is appalling that after being wounded or disabled in wars or in counter-insurgency operations these disabled servicemen are left to fend for themselves. The Army’s yearly budget of Rs 1 crore fixed for the welfare of 25,000 war-disabled personnel, which comes out to just Rs 400 per head is certainly a cruel joke. The government should give a serious thought to this discrepancy and take essential steps for the welfare of disabled soldiers and theirfamilies.                
Meghana A
Hyderabad

Battle fatal
In the editorial 'After giving .... the same to the dynasty?' (TSI, June 24) Arindam Chaudhuri has shown both sides of the coin in the Trinamool Congress Supremo and the chief minister of West Bengal that although Mamata Banerjee has been in the news in the recent past for all the wrong reasons like destroying the future of Indian Railways, doing nothing worthwhile for the state’s education, health or employment situation while continuing to work in a very autocratic manner, yet one must not forget her achievements, which in a country of scamsters and criminal politicians is reason enough for the nation to wait for some time before passing judgement on her. No doubt her biggest achievement had been to rid Bengal of the dictatorial CPM, her latest rejection of the Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s nominee for the post of  President, putting a question mark on the authority of the Congress’s high command to impose its will on its partners, has raised a political storm. The bigger question is, does she have the PM’s seat in her scheme of things next? This really could be the beginning of a bigger role of Mamata in politics at a national level.
Dilbag Rai
Chandigarh
 

Above political line
Notwithstanding  the statistics brought out in 'The lottery of BPL cards' (TSI, June 24), I would like to state that though the Indian Government right from 1950 onwards have introduced many programmes towards the development of the Aam Admi but unfortunately none of these could achieve 100% success. Introduction of BPL cards is also one such endeavour. From the statistics, it is clear that the number of BPL cards issued is much more than the BPL people. Incidentally, in 1947 though the average income in India was not much different from South Korea but by the year 2000 South Korea became a developed country and India is still in the process of introducing various development programmes. The reasons may be firstly, the corruption at all stage. Secondly, the developmental programmes introduced for political requirement and not on actual need basis. It is of ardent necessity that the developmental aids reaches only to the actual needy and not to unscrupulous people. The ministers should themselves monitor the proper and timely implementation of these programmes and not leave it in absolute domain of bureaucrats.
Lt Col Ranjit Sinha (Retd)
Kolkata

Check the doom in wait!
Aditya Raj Kaul and Arnold Christie's analysis of the crisis in the BJP camp on how the high - handed and jostling acts of Narendra Modi against his opponents in the party have contributed to the present unwarranted impasse in the saffron party is an amazing piece. This refers to the Special Report 'Modi and the mutineers' (TSI, June24). At a time when the Congress led UPA government has bungled in all spheres and the people who are thoroughly fed up with their mismanagement and the uncontrollable corruption looming large over the nation are looking to the BJP led NDA for retribution. It is really unfortunate that Narendra Modi using the card of his success in Gujarat has tried to whip up internal bickering to secure his supremacy in national arena which has only caused  the maximum damage to the image of the BJP. While the BJP and more importantly the RSS should have hastened to put a check on the avariciously hasty power monger Modi, it is a tragedy that they too have preferred to play a second fiddle to him by showing the door to party stalwarts and dedicated Swayamsevaks like Sanjay Joshi.The BJP's notion that pan India would vote the saffron party to power if Modi is projected as the Prime Ministerial candidate in the 2014 elections, forgetting the fact that Modi, who is allegedly carrying the tag as the slaughterer of thousands of innocent people post Godhra incident is going to be the main cause for their fall in the  2014 elections. To win, BJP has to change its tactics, contain the in-fights in their party and check with all authority the arrogant rise of persons like Modi.
Anna Mary Yvonne
Chennai

Political murders
This refers to the article 'CBI begins Ranvir Sena pro' (TSI, June 24). Rival political leaders in Bihar are vying with each other to eulogise slain Ranvir Sena chief Brahmeshwar Mukhiya. It is interesting that animal husbandry minister Giriraj Singh, who recently hailed Mukhiya as a “Gandhian”, has been slapped with a case in Bhagalpur court. The complainant, Mukesh Kumar, has questioned how the minister can compare a man associated with over 200 murders with the Father of the Nation. RJD chief Lalu Prasad was in power when a series of massacres — Bathani Tola, Laxmanpur Bathe, Shankarbigha, among others took place in the later half on the 1990s. Even his party, which had praised Patna police for arresting Mukhiya in 2002, fell short of criticising Giriraj for comparing Mukhiya with Gandhi. Criminal-turned-politicians like Anand Mohan, Pappu Yadav and Surajbhan Singh have been hailed as “yuvaon ka samrat" (ruler of the youths)by mainstream politicians. “What is the big fuss about Brahmeshwar Mukhiya being called a Gandhian?” That is Bihar politics !
J Akshay
Secunderabad

Mamata's dream
Arindam Chaudhuri deserves accolades for bringing out the real ‘nation only - in mind’ Mamata to the fore with his effective and convincing arguments over her performance ever since she ascended to power in West Bengal. This refers to the editorial 'After giving the killer blow to CPM.... the dynasty?' (TSI, June 24). It is really a laudable and unmatchable history that she ousted the decade old dictatorial CPM from West Bengal, contained the Maoists menace and has also become the right nightmare to the Gorkha leads in the hills of Bengal. There is nothing wrong in her rising against the attitude of the UPA government towards her state  even denying to look into her reasonable demands and her financial proposal to set right the calamities her erstwhile CPM comrades have left as their legacy. We appreciate her for her no-nonsense approach to the presidential election issue and placing Prime Minister Manmohan Singh rightly for his selective amnesia and self inflicted embargo on his known intellect leading to an unwarranted sanction imposed on the growth and development of our nation. Mamata might look very uncouth and rash on her deliveries and lack nuances in her approach to issues but her sincerity and honesty would definitely be recognised soon. She should allow her temperaments to get tamed and her quick- to-boil sentiments ice cooled  particularly when she nurtures ideal to shine in national politics and give a jolt to the dynasty ruling. Mamata is definitely going to be a force to reckon with in central politics and wear the prime hat.
Tharcius S Fernando
Chennai

Survival of the fittest
Prasoon S Majumdar deserves hearty thanks for bringing the most important points regarding the money-minting business of coaching centres out into the open for discussion among the glitterati and intelligentsia of the nation. It is in reference to 'Tuning the tutor' (TSI, June 17). It was exceptionally relevant in context with the Indian society which now is fast undergoing a host of holistic paradigm metamorphoses, especially with regard to the policy matters of education. Job opportunities have substantially shrunk and we all are competing with one another for what we may call the ‘survival of the fittest'. In fact, mushrooming of the coaching institutes, euphemistically called as the modern golden egg-laying mint, gets their sustenance from insatiable ambition of both the parents and students for getting their berths ensured in premier engineering and medical institutes over the country. Formal education is meant for the universalisation of education while tuition centres are for the promotion of ‘conspicuous education.’ This is the very dichotomy which we must realise before we underestimate and make brouhaha over the fiasco of formal alma maters’ role to rise to the needs and norms of the common masses.
Shreeprakash Sharma,
Samastipur, Bihar

Eye opener
The cover story on ‘What's ... economy or electing a President?’ (TSI, June 24) is a highly impressive article by Sutanu Guru. He has not only raised the most needed point but also illustrated it in an intelligent way. The pathetic position in the Indian media is that it gives more coverage to the news which are politically related or ‘popular’ from the point of view of its readers. The TSI story would be an eye opener to the media organisations across the country. Instead of giving more coverage to the news which are politically related or 'popular' from the point of view of its readers, they should focus on the problems faced by our country man. I hope the political parties come across this stupendous work and set their priorities according to the need. The common man will be acquainted with the pathetic state of the Indian economy. The article has distinctively illustrated on why and how various key sectors in India have been suffering. The solutions for saving the economy from the worst crisis too are interesting.
Dr. B.V.Subba Rao,
Cherukupalli, Andhra Pradesh