Vox pop

With reference to the editorial Few encounters with the truth (Our Take, September 5), jailed DIG DG Vanzara’s scathing letter that blamed the Modi government for encounter killings by the Gujarat Police seems to be politically motivated.

It is time the State machinery is allowed to work independently
With reference to the editorial Few encounters with the truth (Our Take, September 5), jailed DIG DG Vanzara’s scathing letter that blamed the Modi government for encounter killings by the Gujarat Police seems to be politically motivated. The timing of the letter coinciding with that of a sting operation showing BJP leaders allegedly discussing how to protect Narendra Modi’s aide Amit Shah in the Tulsiram Prajapati encounter seems to be very suspicious. With only a few months left for the Lok Sabha elections, it is sad that mudslinging is marring debate on corruption and governance. However, we should not miss the big picture and focus on liberating the state machinery, including the police and bureaucracy from political clutches.
Ravi Vats, via email

Don’t give it a religious slant
With reference to CP Bhambhri’s article A selective nationalism (September 5), the writer’s argument that the BJP is using the Hindu clergy and theologians to revive the Hindu Brahmical culture does not hold water because Hinduism does not have any clergy like Semitic religions. Hinduism has no organised church-like body to issue edicts. Our Constitution doesn’t debar a person from professing, practising and propagating his religion. It is to be noted that despite the British Queen’s attendance at the Canterbury Cathedral, she neither ceases to be secular nor does she cease to be a Christian. Thus, there’s no point giving a religious slant to the Asaram controversy.
CR Nath, via email

He has his work cut out for him
The jump in the value of the rupee against the dollar, a day after Raghuram Rajan took over as the new Reserve Bank of India (RBI) governor is a sign of hope (Rajan takes over as RBI chief amid high hopes, September 5). The free fall of the rupee is the first challenge that Rajan has to address. Besides keeping inflation in check, he has to mend the damaged relationship between the finance ministry and the RBI. He must also ensure that the measures that he has announced are implemented soon.
AB Mehta, Bhopal

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