Home > 2006 Issues > September 03, 2006

Readers? Forum Relief monitoring: Britishers had no faith in Indians working under them. Hence, they introduced the inspection system, monitoring system, etc. But today after so many years of freedom, Indians have no faith in another citizen of India, which is proved by the fact that so many scandals, scams, etc, are unearthed day in day out. In such a situation, whether the relief measures announced by the government during calamities, accidents, etc, in real terms reach the ultimate beneficiaries in full is doubtful. It is also doubtful whether the announcements made remain on papers or are actually worked out. In order to have a transparent system of relief measures undertaken by the government, a monitoring agency with some teeth should be constituted just like National Human Rights Commission and its state counterparts. It should have the power to prosecute the culprits in government departments for their acts of commission and omission. ?M.L. NARAYANAN, FF-103, Ashwini Apartment, Nehru Colony, Anantnagar, Nagpur Terrorism: The Siege Within (Organiser, 20-8-2006); Verily, in India truth can be camouflaged by money and media, which is at times directionless. Besides, truth can be hidden since our minds very often are pre-programmed through a methodical exposure to a make-believe world of so-called secularists. Is it not a joke of the decade that some very well-known journalists in India are still harping at the causes of terrorism, which according to them are poverty, illiteracy, lack of education and discrimination, but not religion. While there is an obvious reluctance on the part of government to wage war against terrorism, a section of the media is preparing ground for it. ?H.K. NIGAM, A-1002, Panchsheel Heights, Mahavir Nagar, Kandivali (W), Mumbai *   *   * Every nation is fighting terrorism in its own way. Bush and Blair are fighting terrorism from the wrong end. Instead of Iraq, Afghanistan and others, it should have been Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Putin has his own style. And our UPA leaders have their own ideas for fighting terrorism: If India fall on the feet of Pakistan and Bangladesh and does not get the conviction of terrorists, then terrorism will be taken care of! Meanwhile, we should take some immediate steps to fight terrorism. Why our ?mass struggle? leaders need top security? Instead, we should provide hefty compensation to the immediate relations, if something grave happens. All the freed security personnel can be deployed to provide security to aam aadmi. ?R.K. MANI, Akshaya, K.S. Rao Road, Mangalore *   *   * There are reports in a section of media that the Pak-based terror outfits like JeM and LeT are establishing ?sleep modules? with the help of Naxals. The Naxal-Maoist-Islamic terrorism nexus is a grave danger glaring straight on the face of India and the Indian Prime Minister is talking of many other ways of curtailing terrorism and extremism, without the need for a stringent law like ?POTA?. He only knows what ways he had applied in the last two years to curb terrorism and extremism. One wonders, when this government is going to realise that it is facing a war-like situation and not just a crime situation?probably after the loss of few more thousands of innocent lives. ?PRASHANT JOSHI by e-mail *   *   * Most of the terrorists groups operating in India especially the Lashkar-e-Toiba reject democracy and view the notion of the sovereignty of the people as un-Islamic, because they believe only Allah is sovereign. They believe that God has ordained every Muslim to fight until His rule is established, and they have no option but to follow God?s order. The heads of all the Muslim organisations in the country including the supreme honcho of the Muslims in India, and all the Muslim clergy should clarify this matter and give a clarion call to all the Muslims living in India and elsewhere that this is not what Islam stands for, and that these notions harboured by the terrorists are totally convoluted, warped and without any substance. The same indignation and public outrage expressed by Muslim intelligentsia and the mullahs as was evinced at the depiction of Prophet Mohammad by the Danish cartoonist should be displayed at this juncture, at this ?depiction of Islam? by the terrorists. ?HEMANT HEMMADY, E 304, Shree Ganesh, Moraya Nagar Manvelpada Road, Virar East *   *   * Despite Pakistan?s support to Islamic terrorism, UPA leaders are on a harakiri mission to persist with dialogues, peace efforts and CBMs with Pakistan. The US wants to keep the Muslim world divided and appease its poodle, Pakistan. The Indo-US nuclear deal suggests a dangerous trend. Are UPA leaders working under the US pressure? ?K.R. KUMAR, 5, Kasturi Apartments, Shiribeedu, Udupi *   *   * Recently, the Naxalites made an attack in Chhattisgarh, where 17 innocent people were murdered, 20 people were kidnapped and many others were injured. This incident again proved the magnitude of the Naxal menace in our country. They attacked a camp of villagers just to show their anger and register their protest against the ?Salwa-Judum? founded by the Congress MLA and tribal leader Mahendra Karma, ably supported by Raman Singh?s BJP government, which proved to be an excellent anti-Naxal organisation. The blame squarely lies on AP Chief Minister, who, immediately after coming to power, senselessly allowed the PWG and other groups a free run for about six months in the name of ?talks?. ?B.R. HARAN, H6/B5. Twin Roses Apartments, 68, ECR, Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai Islamic terrorism: Pak-Bangla nexus (Organiser, 6-8-2006); The article by Ram Gopal is an eye-opener to every leader of India. Really it?s the appropriate time for every Indian to ask our politicians that, firstly, why they look towards USA? We are not less powerful than USA. Secondly, instead of blaming Pakistan all the time, why not handle with an iron hand and tell the world that whomsoever supports Pakistan is the supporter of terrorism? How much more blood our vote-hungry politicians want? ?RAHUL MATHUR by e-mail Will India achieve its Global Power Potential by 2020? (Organiser, 6-8-2006); It is very heartening to read that India will be mighty economic power by 2020 because it would be able to resolve, due to momentous events that will take place within the next three years, the basic contradictions which have stalled economic reforms since 2004. In fact, Indians? innate entrepreneurial spirit and inherent innovative capacity in a truly reformed marked economy system will cause impressive economic progress. India has many advantages for achieving a booming economy: Demographic dividend, agriculture that has internationally the lowest yield in land and livestock-based products and also at the lowest cost of production, highly competitive skilled labour force and low wage rates at the national level. ?DEVESH PRATAP, Pocket-2, Shalimar Bagh, Delhi *   *   * It is true that it is within India?s reach to grow its economy at 10 per cent per year for at least one decade to become a developed country by 2020. But there is a contradiction in the Indian scene between political compulsions and economic pre-requisites that are required to be resolved soon if India is to become a developed country by 2020. ?RAJMAL MEHRA, Sector 4, R.K. Puram, New Delhi If one-tenth of the money spent on fashion shows was spent on our craftsmen? (Organiser, 30-7-2006); Manju Gupta?s write-up on the poverty-ridden conditions of our craftsmen is an eye-opener for the people in general and for the powers-that-be in particular. In this connection, the pathetic picture of a skeletal craftsman at work was heart-rending, which was representative of the entire class of hunger-hit weavers who are made petty payments by big businessmen, not worth enough to have two square meals a day by a craftsman and his family. Unless requisite steps are taken by the authorities concerned to ameliorate their pitiable conditions, the skills of these craftsmen will recede into oblivion. ?Y.S. BHASKAR, C-7/67, Sector-15, Rohini, Delhi Terror attacks and intelligence agencies (Organiser, 6-8-2006); All intelligence agencies should assemble their information at one point so that an entire and complete picture is available to the decision-makers. It is best to do it at the district level, whether they are central or state agencies. The bureaucracy and police also weigh as to what to report and what to water down or what to eliminate. But the fact remains that ultimately what kind of intelligence or investigating agencies the country will have would depend on the political leadership and not on the bureaucracy. Even if the best intelligence is presented, if the action is lacking, what is the use? ?NAVNEET PUNJ, Indore *   *   * The elite writer rightly says that even the intelligence officers report what his political boss would like to hear or believe. Politicians are the same everywhere under democracy, but police differ?The English police being the best, where police rank starts from constable, which is shunned world over. Truth comes from commoners, who are easily accessible to constable-oriented officers. Next comes military intelligence, where even the direct recruited commissioned officers, the product of elite academies, undergo the rigour of drill. By sowing wheat one cannot harvest grapes. Exception is utopian even under the disguise of fate. ?PRAN SALHOTRA, 574, Krishan Nagar, Gurdaspur Unfair criticism: Some organisations from the old city of Hyderabad gave a call demanding the Indian government withdraw its army from Israel and also condemning the pounding of Lebanon and dubbed the violence anti-humanitarian and barbaric. I am not sure if indeed Indian army is in Israel fighting against Lebanon. Needless to say, India has been quick diplomatically to join the anti-Israel cacophony?it condemned it as ?outrageous? Israel?s air strikes on Lebanon. The worst part of the statement was that in it there was no mention of the acts of violence Israel has been subjected to by the Lebanon-supported Hezbollah. Israel did prove to the world that its people?s and country?s self-interests are more important than the US resolution that decries it and is not worth the paper it is written on. ?N. NAGARAJA RAO, 12-11-1394, Raghavendranagar, Secunderabad Disgusting declaration: The recent reports about the intention of the insurance companies to discourage the practice of issuing mediclaim policies to senior citizens above the age of 55 years is shocking and disgusting. On the contrary, this should have been increased to 65 as the longevity and life span of persons has been given a boost by the advent of revolutionary gains in medical science. The necessity of medical aid is required more after the age of 55. They need more facilities and social security to remain with their families with love and dignity. In fact, the Government of India should take a leaf out of the book of Germany, where each individual is taxed for the purpose of providing relief to the retired and old senior citizens and the amount thus collected is doled out to each and every person belonging to that category. The Government of India should also come to the rescue of senior citizen and should not remain indifferent to the issue. They should take an initiative by subsidising the insurance companies to solve their problems related to senior citizens. ?KUMUDINI BANKESHWAR, Krishna Sthal, Kashimira, Mumbai Prevent smoking: It is universally accepted that smoking or use of tobacco products is injurious to health. Particularly smoking is a fire hazard and lot of accidents have occurred because of it. As per an AFP report, the European Union has permitted the employers to refuse jobs for smokers and even put a clause ?smokers need not apply? in advertisements. Can India also follow this to improve the health of people? ?B.S. GANESH, 70/9, Hanumanthnagar, 12th Cross, Bangalore

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