Readers? Forum: Remembering Black Days

(Emergency As I Remember, June 25); This refers to the article ‘Emergency As I Remember’ by Capt. Ajay Tripathi in Organiser. On the 42 anniversary of the Internal Emergency imposed by the then Prime Minister Smt Indira Gandhi on June 25, 1975, replacing democracy with her dictatorship, the writer has reminded us of the 21 monthsof tyranny, deprivation of Fundamental Rights and Free Expression. It was an unprecedented occurrence and a terrible black chapter. The writer has rightly said that there have been many conferences at every anniversary of the Emergency all over India but not a single person has been remembered in those conferences  who died during the Emergency due to its brutalities .This I feel should not have been done.
    YATHARTH SIKKA, Delhi

Is consensus only for BJP?
With due regards to Meira Kumar, the fact is that much of what she is today it is due to her being the daughter of late Jagjivan Ram. Ram Nath Kovid has no such background and he is a self–made person. The selection of Meira Kumar as the Congress-led Opposition’s presidential candidate, has exposed the Opposition’s hypocrisy as, more than anything else, it is because of her being a Scheduled Caste member and to counter the BJP’s candidate, she has been chosen. It may be recalled that the Congress could have easily installed Meira Kumar as President in 2007, when it was in power at the Centre. Instead, it brought a little known Pratibha Patil to become the President. The Congress has refused to support Kovind saying that no effort was made to build a consensus. It is only when the BJP is in power that consensus is talked about. While in power, the Congress unilaterally, selected and installed its candidate as the President.
M C JOSHI, Lucknow  

Introduce Direct Tax too  
(Complex Path to Simplification, July 2); Apropos  to the editorial in Organiser titled, ‘Complex Path to Simplification’. It has been rightly written that even though India became a political entity in 1947 India lacked certain economic reforms. With the implementation of GST we will have one tax, with every assessee having one interface with one assessing officer. I feel that besides GST (Goods and Services Tax) which is just another avatar of indirect  taxes our country needs a Direct Tax System also. Direct Tax System has helped many countries to have a developed economy. While direct taxes depend on the taxpayer’s ability to pay, indirect tax hit the poor the hardest. Given the huge income disparity among the Indians we should rely more on direct taxes which is just for all. The indirect tax regime is also one of the factors of rising inequality. There is a clear case of
lopsided growth of our nation that can turn out to be malignant if not taken care of. So, a direct tax regime, with more than 60 per cent of total tax revenue coming from direct tax, along with GST taking care of indirect taxes and earning less than 40 per cent of the total tax turnover is needed.
    SUJIT DE, Kolkata

Glory Regained
Today I feel proud to be an Indian since the culture and traditional values of our country are blooming. There was a time not long ago when I felt being a Hindu was a stigma. My colleges used to speak high of their religion and made fun of my religion. I have got a number of friends who are in the US and are so ashamed of being a Hindu that instead of calling themselves as Dinesh they call
themselves as Daniel, Jack instead of Jayaram. Everything Indian was looked down as ancient, tribal and superstition. Thanks to Modi Government, today
temples have got there lost glory, yoga is being considered as divine, Indian culture,  Ayurveda, Indian dances everything Indian is being considered as prestigious  and I feel proud today when my ethos and culture are being honoured. I am a proud Indian and I go out of my country with head held high to return with the feeling of more pride, for the recognition created for our country and its people in every corner of the world by our beloved Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi.
    M K PRASAD, Email:mkpk@yahoo.com

No smoke without fire
If the Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav feels that he and his family are being hounded by the Income Tax Department due to vendetta politics then why he is running away and skipping summons by the Income Tax Department? If his conscience is clean then he should not fear anyone. The truth is that Lalu knows it very well that he is guilty. There is no smoke without fire and it is wise of Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to stay away from all this despite Lalu Prasad being his alliance partner in the Government.
                                 BAL GOVIND, Noida  

Declare Cow a National Animal
It is quite interesting to note that the Rajasthan Government has suggested to make cow a national animal, though the Centre may not be able to take a decision on the basis of a directive coming from a State High Court.
This news, assuming controversial proportions, is a different issue. But the flames arising out of the notification
banning sale of cattle for slaughter is refusing to die down. Beef consumers must understand that they should not add to the fleet of problems. Cows and buffaloes are not the only source of meat.
    K V  SEETHARAMAIAH, Hassan

A Welcome Move
(Big Strides, July 9); Brig Anil Gupta has rightly said in his article titled ‘Big Strides’ in Organiser that,“ True friends have commitment to the cause of mutual co-operation and fight against terrorism. They will surely make the horse gallop.” Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s visit to the US marks an important milestone with the US declaring Syed Salahuddin as head of the of the Kashmir militant group Hizbul Mujahideen, a global terrorist. This will help in choking his movement and financing. First, all terrorists must starve for finance. Lack of finance support can deliver a severe blow to the terrorists. The UN must also take appropriate actions against countries that provide financial aid to the terrorists. Declaration on Salahuddin by the US emphasises its commitment to end terror in all forms. The declaration also prohibits the US citizens from engaging in transactions with Salahuddin and that all his property and interests subject to the US’s jurisdiction will be blocked. It is a welcome move.
    M C SHARMA, Panki, Kanpur