The prime-ministerial dare

With reference to Barkha Dutt’s article Who needs the Left when... (October 27), after daring the Left to do the worst, the best thing for the PM would have been to stand by his words and go down fighting.

With reference to Barkha Dutt’s article Who needs the Left when... (October 27), after daring the Left to do the worst, the best thing for the Prime Minister would have been to stand by his words and go down fighting. He and his government had nothing to lose or fear. On the contrary, it would have only raised his stature in the public eye. It is the Left parties that would have suffered if elections were held.

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Brajesh Kumar, via e-mail

II

Barkha Dutt’s analysis is right, but surprising. If she were the PM, the government would have collapsed long ago. Why do journalists always think in black and white? Can’t the governments of the day change course as dictated by circumstance?

SC Sharma, Delhi

III

The fractured mandate exposed the paralysis within the coalition over a single issue. Progressive Indians expect the PM to take an aggressive stand against the Left’s hypocrisy over the issue. It gave the Left a chance to form a third front, if the government falls. The Left has misunderstood the victory mantra in elections: it is not just bijli, sadak and pani. Sensible Indians support the advancement of the Indian forces and nuclear power.

Sakul Kundra, via e-mail

IV

Barkha Dutt is right that this is not the government on whom people have put their faith, especially with Mannmohan Singh at the helm of affairs. The problem with the PM is that he is not a politician. His integrity is beyond doubt, but pressures within the party compel him to act against his conscience.

GK Arora, Delhi

To register or not

Compulsory registration of marriages being mooted by the Supreme Court and the Prevention of Domestic Violence Act which was passed last year are contrary to each other. Most of the benefits which are said to be available to a woman after registration of marriage are already available to a woman living with a man without marriage. Registration of marriage will not offer any additional benefit.

Jitendra Kumar Agrawal, via e-mail

A moral dilemma

In her article Silence of the lambs (November 1), Shoma Chaudhury rightly says that if we remain silent despite the truth laid bare by Tehelka, we will be left mourning our nation’s moral downfall. It is strange that we indulge in speculating over Tehelka’s intention behind the expose rather than fighting a state that avenged Godhra by killing innocents.

Shara Ashraf, via e-mail

II

We know all politicians and all political parties play the communal card to come to power and then to retain their chairs. The only solution to this is the awareness that hurting religious sentiments only reflects what our own religion has taught us. But then power-hungry politicians have no regard for their own religion.

Sumati Padhy, Delhi

Big deal about a deal

I fail to understand what the Left parties and the Opposition want on the nuclear issue. Why don’t they accept the deal when the US says it has almost no conditions? The US can only stop supplying uranium to India under certain conditions, in which case we can buy it from other nations. The Congress should go ahead and sign the nuclear pact and let the government fall.

Sanjay Shukla, Phillaur

Games politicians play

The friends-turned-foes-turned-friends again alliance of the BJP and the JD(S) in Karnataka is just to serve political ends. Political turmoil has turned Karnataka into a nautanki stage. Political nepotism, horse-trading and the parochial mentality of hegemonic bosses have pushed the democratic set-up to its nadir. The election manifesto of ‘welfare of all and sundry’ has been replaced by ‘welfare of all, especially our family’.

Asif Aqil, Lucknow

II

There are no permanent friends and foes in politics. As with the Congress and the Left at the Centre, so also the BJP and the JD(S) in Karnataka. All political parties are permanent friends of the chair at any cost. But unfortunately, they are permanent enemies of their own voters, the honest taxpayers.

Hansraj Bhat, Mumbai

The Iraq imbroglio

The bloodshed in Iraq is a matter of concern not only for that country and the region, but also for the whole world. Innocent and peace-loving Iraqis are paying the price for the folly of one man who acted out of vengeance, violating the world order. Shouldn’t George Bush be held guilty of all this and punished by an international court?

Brajesh Kumar, via e-mail

Criminal offenders

The report Law of the jungle (November 2), is an instance of criminal politicians exploiting freedom. These netas with criminal backgrounds manage party tickets and occupy positions of power. Why are tickets issued to them? We must have the courage to do away with the criminalisation of politics.

Amit Mehta, Delhi

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