The wealth stashed in temples should be put to better use

The editorial Tax the temples (The Pundit, July 5) rightly mentions that religious bodies should share their wealth with those who need it.

The editorial Tax the temples (The Pundit, July 5) rightly mentions that religious bodies should share their wealth with those who need it. The quantum of wealth stashed at the Sri Padmanabha Swami temple in Kerala is astonishing. The temple trustees must share a part of this treasure for the uplift of the nation’s downtrodden. While preserving the priceless antiques, the other riches can be used to bring smiles to the faces of the poor.
G David Milton, via email

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It would cramp their style
Citing the examples of other statutory bodies like the Supreme Court, Comptroller and Auditor General and Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Arvind Kejriwal and Kiran Bedi (The corrupt are afraid, July 4) have spelt out why the lokpal cannot be a threat to the government. The lokpal can be an effective instrument against corruption only when it is free of government control. The reason behind the virulent opposition to the bill across the political spectrum is because politicians want the freedom to indulge in corrupt practices with full impunity.
JL Ganjoo, Delhi

This is just the beginning
Sitaram Yechury in Life of contradictions (Left Hand Drive, July 5) advances a facile argument that the anti-corruption law alone will not solve the problem of graft. The institution of the lokpal is only the first step to combat corruption and erase social and economic inequalities. Corrupt politicians abdicated their responsibility and failed to bring about economic parity. Civil society has only stepped in to fill that vacuum.
Kapil Kakar, via email