Sunday letters
The article Keep the House in order (Chanakya, February 24) rightly mentions that a productive Parliament session is the least that politicians owe to a people who are forced to wake up to some scam or outrage every morning.
Time for an honest session’s work
The article Keep the House in order (Chanakya, February 24) rightly mentions that a productive Parliament session is the least that politicians owe to a people who are forced to wake up to some scam or outrage every morning. Before adversely affecting the functioning of Parliament, the Opposition must know that if people-friendly bills are not allowed to pass, they will not be elected back to the House. Together with the government, they should try and move towards curbing inflation, rising prices, terror and corruption.
GK Arora, via email
II
Honest efforts are needed to discipline erring MPs. It is time that the government look into the idea of ‘no work, no pay’ for MPs disrupting Parliament.
P Saravana Durai, Mumbai
On the defensive on defence
With reference to Shishir Gupta’s article Merchants of death (The Big Story, February 24), corruption in defence deals will continue as long as people involved in the purchase are not dedicated to their service. If a man is purchasable, the arms dealers will find ways to buy him. The answer lies in promoting honest officers rather than pliable ones.
RD Singh, Ambala
II
If misdeeds of such a high magnitude continue to surface, the morale of our soldiers is bound to sink. Defence minister AK Antony is only playing defensive strokes in order to guard a slippery wicket. Corruption is everywhere in our system. It needs to be rooted out, and the mop-up should start from the top.
Taposh Bhattacharya, via email
Don’t make the victim pay
With reference to Karan Thapar’s No terminal benefits (Sunday Sentiments, February 24), it may be true that the death penalty is not an effective deterrent, but moral principles do not help manufacture sympathy for hardcore criminals. When criminals commit a crime, for instance, isn’t that also against the human rights of the victim?
Komal Jain, Bhopal
II
While Thapar’s views seem to be an appeal for the abolishment of the death penalty, the matter needs to be thought of from the victim’s perspective. In the case of rape victims, we see examples of lives ruined for no fault of the girls or women affected. We may not be able to give them back their normal life, but a death penalty to their culprits might give them and their families psychological closure.
Sujata Grover, via email
The real value of language
Indrajit Hazra in Closely tongue-tied (Red Herring, February 24) is right in stating that more than 90% of Bangladeshis speak Bangla. We must appreciate that Bangladesh’s language bond gave it a distinct identity and eventually a separate nation. English is a status enhancer in all South East Asian countries, but it is only in India that English got a real push at the school level. The Indian middle class was intelligent enough to understand that their children would get ahead in their careers only if they knew English. Access to English continues to be limited in Pakistan and still less in Bangladesh.
Bhartendu Sood, via email
The best kind of name-calling
Manas Chakravarty’s article Game of the name (Loose Canon, February 24) makes for interesting reading. By satirically mentioning different and weird names, the writer has made the article a must-read for Indian politicians who are known for making silly remarks against their rivals.
Kavya, via email
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