We would be silly to think that the US would seriously try to restrain Pakistan from promoting cross-border terrorism in India ("Dangerous Delusion", February 18). America's geopolitical interests are best served by enlisting Pakistan as a supporter of the West in the fight against Islamic fundamentalism and violence. On the other hand, India's credentials as a strategic ally and its potential to help America get a foothold in the region are yet to be assessed by the policymakers in Washington. We have to learn to fend for ourselves as a self-reliant nation without looking for crutches or doles from others.

S.C. Kapoor, Noida

Mission Impossible

An innocuous view expressed by the West Bengal chief minister that all unauthorised madarsas in the state should be closed down has stirred up a hornets' nest, making his opponents take up cudgels against him ("Left Right Left", February 18). If this is the reaction in India where Muslims are in a minority, we would be naive to imagine that General Pervez Musharraf will succeed in his efforts to regulate madarsas and jehadis in Pakistan, an avowed Islamic nation.

D.V. Madhava Rao, Chennai

Prodigal Son

Abhishek Bachchan doesn't possess any of the quintessential qualities required for star status, be it Hrithik Roshan's spring-footedness, Fardeen Khan's dashing looks or Shah Rukh Khan's charisma ("Make or Break", February 18). If Bachchan Junior wants to make a mark, he should create his own impressive style. A daunting task indeed but probably the only way that will help him earn accolades.

Ankana Daga, on e-mail

Virtual Winner

S.M. Krishna's performance on ground has been much less than what he has been credited with ("Performers Progress", February 11). Reports project an overall growth of 5 per cent for the state-less than the national average-for the past year. Due to poor industrialisation, pathetic power situation and lagging infrastructural sector in the state not a single large investment has come in since Krishna took over. Your survey could have been more authentic if you had covered the old economy industries and not the it industries alone.

Praveen Kumar, Bangalore

Clarification

The last line of my letter to the editor on P. Chidambaram's column had been inadvertently changed ("Reform to Govern", February 4, 2002). It should have read as follows: Chidambaram has referred to a sole joint secretary who kept at bay investments of crores of rupees in private power projects. With the benefit of hindsight, we need no evidence that this was entirely in national interest, as India could ill-afford a few more Enrons. However, greater credit must go to the finance ministers of that era who allowed the joint secretary to have
his say.

Gajendra Haldea, on e-mail

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