Letter of the WEEK

• This refers to your editorial, ‘An unsuitable girl?’. A few irrational fanatics should not be allowed to persecute such sporting talents. India is a secular republic, where it should never matter whether or not a citizen abides by any religion’s customs and injunctions. The pity is that the politicians and the lower judiciary are generally on the side of fanatical tormentors. This seems to be so because of the orthodox mindset of the ruling class. True, the victim can go to the higher courts for redress. But then having to run to law courts is itself a punishment. The Central government, together with the Supreme Court, should appoint a legal commission to see that complaints about hurting religious feelings, showing disrespect to national symbols, etc. are genuine from a secular and human rights point of view before allowing any court to proceed with such cases.

US vs us

• In your editorial ‘Primary education’, you have talked of some similarity between the Indian and American systems of election campaigning. I think you have missed out on one important difference. In American campaigns, presidential candidates always give their view on important issues like economic policy, foreign affairs and defence. This gives the voters the chance to know what to expect from their candidates, so that they can then vote intelligently.

But in India, when spokespersons of various parties campaign, they only throw mud at their opponents. If the common man wants to know what policy to expect, he is asked to study the election manifesto issued by the party. This appears to be the major difference between the two systems and, here, the US system is the clear winner.

— R.P. Desai

Mumbai

People’s budget?

• This refers to the editorial ‘Aam aadmi’s interest’. The Congress has a history of adopting a public posture just before the Lok Sabha elections to present itself as the sole guardian of the ‘aam aadmi’. Even now, with the next general elections in mind, it has started preparing for its vote bank politics, though in a new style. Its concern for the aam aadmi is simply a ploy to woo voters since it has been losing ground in the municipal and assembly elections.

The Congress leaders’ reported meeting with the finance minister to present a “people’s budget” is the party’s last chance to salvage some prestige. In any case, the finance minister should take “proper care” of the middle class and of people living below the poverty line as they are the real sufferers. The salaried class deserves better treatment after the 40 per cent hike recorded in direct tax collections till January 2008. There is an urgent need to not only raise the threshold limit but also suitably revise the personal income tax slabs.

Further, the education cess should be done away with as the amount collected through it generally remains unutilised, defeating its very purpose.

— S.K. Gupta

Delhi