• Sudheendra Kulkarni's article, ‘Freedom from filth’ (IE, August 31) was a very interesting one indeed. It is a pity that we Indians don’t have access to the most basic necessities. The world is speeding by. If we are to keep pace, we have to first ensure that our people have the right to live in dignity. I feel the media, and especially the film industry, should do more in this regard. We seem to ape the western world in almost everything and consider ourselves ‘progressive’ in doing so, then why not in promoting basic hygiene? — Anjal Lele On e-mail • Clean up Mumbai first. Stop using public places as toilets. The government should provide toilets before moving people from shanties. In fact the government should publish in all the local newspapers a warning to the public against using public places as toilets. Mumbai’s railway stations should be modernised and look like those in Navi Mumbai. — Philip Oommen Mumbai Lohia-ite tradition? • During the debate on the Nanavati Commission Report on Delhi anti-Sikh riots of 1984, George Fernandes, the Socialist leader, denied the fact that in the horrible Gujarat riots which had occurred under Gujarat BJP Chief Minister Narendra Modi, any carnage or pogrom of Muslims had taken place. To the contrary, he said, the pitched battles which had taken place were between Hindus and Muslims. On an earlier occasion, he had also denied the fact that Muslim women had been victims of barbaric gangster rapes during that period. Surely, only an outfit of the Sangh Parivar or a staunch devotee of Sangh Parivar’s ideology would have come out with such a defence of Modi! It will not be out of place to mention that Fernandes’s mentor, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia, had never uttered a single word against Hindu communalism. To the contrary, he was in favour of getting the full support of Jan Singh — the BJP’s predecessor — in his craze to dislodge the Congress from power in UP and other states. — M. Hashim Kidwai New Delhi Jobs take wing • I was happy to read Wg Cdr Phadke on the problem of IAF pilots (‘Pluck this debate from the air’, IE, August 31). Incidentally, a transport/helicopter IAF pilot has better chance to get a job with the civil airlines, rather then the fighter boys. — Wg Cdr S.K. Gupta On e-mail Great upgrade • This is heartening news about the good old INSAS (‘INSAS: Army says upgrade will make it world class!’ IE, August 28). Such changes would save our country lots of money, and it is safe to say that the INSAS is a wonderful weapon by itself. With the upgrade, it would truly by at level with the Tavors and M16s of the world! — Lt Col A.D. Singh On e-mail Upright manager • Subir Raha is an upright manager (‘ONGC chief to Govt: Stop infiltrating board or I will quit’, IE, August 31). Unfortunately, in PSUs, being upright does not work. In the case of Raha, however, either way he could win. If he stays, he would have an opportunity to make a serious change. If he goes, he would have many opportunities to get a job at the highest level for his professionalism. — Biswajit New Delhi
