The damp squib of a budget presented by Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha has failed to address the critical issue of rationalisation of the direct-tax structure, particularly income tax ("Low-Calorie Budget", March 11). While we did not expect any relief on this front, we were hopeful that the various complications would be removed. Instead, the budget has added a few more weeds to the already dense forest of various provisions of the Income Tax Act.

Kalyana Sundaram, Bhilai

The finance minister can plunder the middle class now but soon it will be time for general elections and the returns filed by the middle class will turn out to be really taxing for the Government.

Ganesh Prasad, Hazaribagh

J.B. Colbert, a British econo-mist, once pointed out: "The art of taxation consists in so plucking the goose as to obtain the largest amount of feathers with the least possible amount of hissing." It seems our finance minister is yet to understand the nuances of this art. The budget fails to give the thrust needed to stimulate industrial growth, promote competition and encourage savings, and will lead to a further subjugation of the salaried class.

K. Gopakumar Menon, Sonepat

While Budget 2002 is no better or worse than the previous ones, I would like to ask the finance minister to ponder over why China continues to be the preferred investment destination for multinationals which pump in over $40 billion each year while India barely manages to get about $2 billion.

A.J. Pereira, Singapore

Villain of the Piece
All law-abiding readers must have been shocked by your obituary of Karim Lala ("Newsnotes", March 4). At a time when criminals enjoy considerable clout in social and political spheres, eulogising any member of the fraternity will only serve to strengthen their growing influence. Notwithstanding any philanthropic activity that Lala might have indulged in, his is a slate that can never be wiped clean.

Abhijit Roy, on e-mail

You seem to be enamoured of Lala's personality-imagine using the words "tall Pathan with a booming voice" for a smuggler! Tch, tch.

Pranay Mandal, Cuttack

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