PICTURE SPEAK

“Embarrassing Choice”, July 9, 2007

“Why is media so keen on a clean imaged President when the entire polity of the country is corrupt? Mera Bharat mahaan, hum sab beimaan.”

Brijesh Barthwal, Lucknow

Wrong Choice

It is a rule that whenever the Congress forms the government at the Centre, priority is given to loyalty to the Nehru-Gandhi family (“Embarrassing Choice”, July 9). The present choice, however, has surpassed all levels of arrogance.

B.J. Pandya, Rajkot

Pratibha Patil cannot be worse than former President Giani Zail Singh who was even willing to sweep the floor if Indira Gandhi asked him to.

Y.N.I. Anand, Mysore

Patil possesses neither “pratibha” (talent), nor the goodwill to do justice to the country’s highest office. This choice is as poor as Abdul Kalam’s was brilliant.

Virendra Kumar Tangri, Dehradun

There was a reason behind Patil being chosen the candidate for the President’s post. With Navin Chawla poised to be the next chief election commissioner, a pliable President will be the second pole of a configuration conducive for the party, or specifically the Family.

Bishan Sahai, on e-mail

Is it right to push the allegations made by a not-so-creditable Opposition? The magazine, it seems, is unwilling to let go any opportunity to malign Mrs Gandhi and her party.

N. Balakesavan, Mumbai

By nominating Patil for the high office of President, Sonia seems to have done one better than Emperor Caligula from her native Italy who was insane enough to nominate his horse as a senator.

Renu Sood, Delhi

The Opposition should take heart if Patil occupies the Rashtrapati Bhavan. It would only prove their contention that the Congress is a patron of tainted politicians.

S.M. Mathur, Lucknow

All possible accommodations and manipulations are possible in the sordid cesspool of politics and the Congress party is a master in the art of deceit. That is the only way one can explain the presence of Patil in the Presidential race.

Anjim M. Samel, on e-mail

Sorry State of Affairs

His legendary equations with all notwithstanding, the numbers are stacked against Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (“Fight of the Patriarch”, July 9). This fight has a parallel in Mahabharata where Krishna came to Draupadi’s rescue with a slight difference that there will be no Krishna to save Draupadi (read the democracy) today for we have become a country of moral pygmies.

H.R. Bapu Satyanarayana, Mysore

Maya’s Maya

Even the highest authority of the land does not have the guts to question the phenomenal wealth Mayawati has acquired in such a short time (“Poor Little Rich Girl”, July 9). What is admirable is her grit when she declared that she got the moolah from her admirers. But who cares? At least not Manmohan or Sonia.

Ravi Bedi, Jodhpur

It is really sad to see that politicians, especially those who were born as a result of the quota politics, always get away with murder. The Congress needs Maya’s support to help get its “tainted” nominee installed in the Rashtrapati Bhavan and has, thus, turned a blind eye to her misdemeanour.

A.K. Sharma, Chandigarh

Lesson Well Learnt

It is certainly a pleasant surprise to see education penetrating the dark rooms of a jail (“No Shackles to Learning”, July 9). Whether the inmates of the Bhopal Central Jail will get a remission or not, it would do the country a service if such a model was emulated by others.

A. Jacob Sahayam, Thiruvananthapuram

Revolution at a Low Cost

We have all seen what low-cost mobiles have done to India and it is only obvious that low-cost PCs can and will bring in another revolution (“The Race for the $100 pc”, July 9). For instance, net-banking and online reservation of railway tickets will surely bring to an end the long queues which are so typically Indian. And these are just two examples.

Girish Talukdar, Tihu, Assam

Plain Trivia

It is disappointing to see two pages being wasted on inconsequential problems of the FDCI (“Couture Clash”, July 9). The fashion week is currently grappling with the decreasing number of buyers at the event. An event of this magnitude should attract many more buyers. Things like price rise seem trivial before this.

Bobby and Manju Grover, Founder and ex-board members, FDCI

King of Good Times

Rajnikant is India’s Clint Eastwood (“The Boss”, July 9). It would be better if he continues acting without throwing his hat in the political ring. This is what legion fans of his want.

K. Pradeep, Chennai

Sivaji: The Boss is nothing but a box office devil which has sucked the hard earned money of the poor. It had an empty bombastic style which won’t do any good to society. The film was nothing but a pr exercise for Rajnikant. There was nothing extraordinary about it.

V.S. Sankaran, Madurai

Grainy Problem

The major reason for the sorry state which the country’s farming sector is in today is not only the lack of technological breakthrough but also the fact that the available technologies are not adequately carried forward to our farmers (“Grain Drain”, June 11). But the apathy of the Government towards this is, indeed, disgusting.

S. Kumaraswamy, Chairman, Agrochemicals Policy Group

JOURNEY THROUGH TIME

“India at 60” was an enlightening journey through the contemporary history of our Independent nation (“60 Years of Independence”, July 2). However, despite the country’s growth and its urbanised and globalised exterior, the deep-rooted evils of dowry, female infanticide and riots over caste and religion are still rampant.

Anjani Kapoor, Chandigarh

This special issue is a great publication to pass on to the young generation as it is a short, succinct lesson in history. However, Shobhaa De’s summation of the current era can easily be given a skip. It would be better if she goes through her largely incoherent piece again.

Sunil Mistry, London

It has been erroneously mentioned that K.M. Cariappa became the first Field Marshal of the Indian Army. The first Field Marshal was Sam Manekshaw.

Brig S.C. Sharma (retd.), Mumbai

30
Years Ago in India Today
JULY 16-30, 1977

Summer of Discontent

Discontent among workers is spreading fast in all parts of the country. Salaried staff are apparently as much affected as the so-called blue-collar labour, that is, workers on the shop floor. The latest to join the queue being the administrative staff of universities in Bombay and Calcutta—for the first time in 120 years as far as Bombay University is concerned. The dock and port workers have also threatened a countrywide strike unless their demands are conceded. Experts have estimated that unless something is done, and quickly, to douse the fires of unrest, the Janata Government may begin its very first year with a record 50 million man-days lost. The irony of the situation is that George Fernandes who led the railway strike three years ago, now saddled with the industry portfolio will find himself on the wrong side of the negotiating table for the first time.

—Jay Dubashi

Index