PICTURE SPEAK

"Inflation: Prices on Fire", March 5, 2007

"The challenge lies in identifying and tackling supply side inefficiencies. Suppressing aggregate demand by reducing liquidity is at best a stop-gap arrangement."

Navneet Dhawan, Delhi

Rise and Whine

Inflation has become an inevitable phenomenon ("Prices Out of Control", March 5). As always, the poor are the worst hit. Will India ever get a pro-poor government?

Adarsh Chadha, Delhi

Onion-which has become a measure of inflation in the country-plays tearjerker on the eve of every election. It brings tears of despair to the ruling party and those of joy to the Opposition.

Rajneesh Batra, Delhi

India's metros serve as effective barometers that detect and monitor inflationary trends, but trends in rural areas, which often go unnoticed, provide interesting pointers. For example, several rural districts in Kerala witnessed a sharp rise in the cost of onions and vegetables as early as November 2006. But this was not taken seriously, since it was the Sabarimala pilgrimage season, during which vegetable prices usually go up.

K.V. Raghuram, Wayanad

Prices have been on the rise for quite a few months now, but they become an issue only during elections. One of the reasons for rising prices is forward trading. The Government must do something to control this practice if it wants to provide relief to poor consumers.

Man Mohan Bhatia, Delhi

UPheaval

Invoking Article 356 in Uttar Pradesh would have done the Congress more harm than good ("Aborted Coup", March 5). Party President Sonia Gandhi did not see the big picture while supporting the imposition of President's Rule in the state.

A. Jacob Sahayam, Thiruvananthapuram

The Election Commission has stolen the limelight by announcing the dates of the Uttar Pradesh elections and thereby thwarted Sonia's plan to 'dethrone' Mulayam Singh Yadav. However, all is not over for Mulayam yet. He has to pass the test of public approval in the elections.

S.K. Gupta, Delhi

Respect the Constitution

Congress leaders have made it a habit to use the Constitution for their benefit (Indiascope, Vis-a-Vis, March 5). Kapil Sibal should not have cited the Constitution as the 'Gita' of the UPA in a selfish bid to topple the Mulayam Singh Government.

A. Srikantaiah, Bangalore

Private Eye on Shipyards

It is hardly surprising that public sector shipyards are not functioning efficiently ("Sailing at a Snail's Pace", March 5). We have seen that there has been a marked improvement in the services of nationalised banks after the sector was opened to private players. Similarly, private companies should be welcomed in the shipyard industry.

Virendra Tangri, Dehradun

Attitude Counts

Your take on the return of Sourav Ganguly has missed out on the all-important aspect which not only resulted in his ouster but which also hangs like a Damocles' sword over the heads of others in the team -attitude ("The Return of the Prince", March 5). His ability was never in question, his attitude was. It was his laid-back manner that made him take his selection for granted.

Anjum M. Samel, on e-mail

Players who represent India for a couple of years usually become life members of the team irrespective of their performance. Ganguly had become a tired and edgy non-performer. Dropping him has proved beneficial to Indian cricket. He and Zaheer Khan have become fitter now.

M.S. Sharada prasad, Bangalore

Picture Imperfect

The photograph accompanying your article on the resurgence of Mumbai University is not quite appropriate ("A New Chapter", March 5). The only university structure in the picture, and that too in the distance, is Rajabai Tower. The circular building in the forefront is not part of the university. It houses the Institute of Science, which is affiliated to the university.

Arun Vaidya, Ahmedabad

Relocate Tata Plant

Mamata Banerjee, who smelled an opportunity in Singur, tried her best to gain political leverage ("Small Car Big Troubles", February 26). However, she made it clear that she was not against the Tata project, but against the acquisition of farmland. The Government, which turned the debate into an ego clash, is not exploring alternative locations.

Biranchi Narayan Acharya, Cuttack

Faulty Appraisal

One cannot judge MPs by their oratorial skills alone ("Non-Performing Assets", February 26). As former British prime minister Clement Atlee said, eloquence may be a great trait in Parliament, but it is a liability in the Cabinet, where brevity is the norm.

Hiren Shah, on e-mail

Assessment of the performance of MPs in Parliament cannot be based solely on statistical analysis. Questions asked in Parliament are chosen by ballot. The time allocated for debate on a Bill is in proportion to the strength of the political party in the House. We need a different, more appropriate yardstick to measure the performance of our young MPs.

Chakshu, on e-mail

Bad Is Not Cool

Americans continue to make superhero movies, but Bollywood wants to project villains as cool (Indiascope, "Super New Anti-Hero", February 26). Inciting the young to follow in the footsteps of "natty" villains is morally incorrect. The Censor Board should look into such oblique, but powerful suggestions.

Ankit Kumar, Ajmer

Not Catching the Eye

Your Eyecatchers page has started focusing solely on cricketers, fashion designers and movie stars. Your magazine should bring out real talent, not just glamorous news-makers.

Latha Tampi, on e-mail

"The challenge lies in identifying and tackling supply side inefficiencies. Suppressing aggregate demand by reducing liquidity is at best a stop-gap arrangement."

Navneet Dhawan, Delhi

A TRAGEDY OF ERRORS

The utter laxity on the part of security officials on the train led to the tragedy ("Shocking Lapses", March 5).

R.J. Khurana, on e-mail

Many people could have been saved if the doors and windows of the train coaches could have been plied open.

V.K. Singh, Gurgaon

The Railways is concerned only about profit, not about security. Trains should have fewer coaches and passengers.

Shiv Shanker Almal, Kolkata

30
Years Ago in India Today
MARCH 16-31,1977

The Relentless Orator

A Jana Sangh stalwart, Vajpayee, 52, now contesting the New Delhi seat-for the first time-on the Janata Party ticket, has always possessed a formidable reputation as a public speaker. The months in jail have taken their toll. Vajpayee suffers from a slipped disc, and it is hard to imagine a constant physical pain dogging the relentless force of a public figure. A couple of hours after the prime minister has spoken at the Boat Club at India Gate, he is to attend the most important Janata Party rally. The power for the speakers and microphones has been cut off, despite a permit from the New Delhi Municipal Committee. Reiterating his demand to break the monopoly of the ruling party, he says, as the crowds cheer loudly, "As we have done without their electricity at this rally, so can we do without them."

-By Sunil Sethi