Poll times

• Elections are once again in the air. Lots of reforms are being implemented. It is nice to ...

• Elections are once again in the air. Lots of reforms are being implemented. It is nice to see that riding the crest of the wave called “feel good”, the nation has suddenly discovered the route to a buoyant economy and a panacea for all its woes. Pride in being a Hindu is unprecedented, and it is amusing to find the VHP, RSS, BJP and everyone suddenly sincere in finding an acceptable solution to the Ayodhya Problem. Breakthrough in Kashmir, naturally, cannot be far behind. India has finally arrived on the world stage and is poised to become a major superpower. Incorrigible “secularists” find themselves completely isolated. With the NDA on one side and the Congress on the other, they have nowhere to go. They have become a had-been community, and cease to be of any relevance. Long live India’s resurgence!

— Amit Goel On e-mail

Going Blue

• Apropos of ‘Should we buy the Gorshkov? (IE, January 8), the Express has done yeoman service by dedicating space to the views of former vice admiral, Vinod Pasricha, and former air chief marshal, S.K. Sareen, who gave their pro- and anti-views on Gorshkov. I now implore your readers to introspect on the Kargil war or go and see LOC Kargil and think of why so many brave Indian soldiers lost their lives while fighting without air support, despite a strong air force. At sea in today’s scenario no navy can operate far beyond its shores without integral air power, which is provided best by an aircraft carrier. India deserves a Blue Water Navy as its economy burgeons.

— Ranjit B. Rai New Delhi

Sonia’s plunge

• Now that early Lok Sabha polls in March-April is a reality, the Congress party’s initiative in forging pre-poll alliances with like minded secular parties is just and well appreciated to face the challenge of BJP-led NDA (‘Sonia gets friendly’, IE, January 9). But a cautious approach is needed while tackling politically ambitious parties like SP, NCP, and so on.

— P.P. Talwar On e-mail

Is it right?

Story continues below this ad

• At last Mamata Banerjee has got a portfolio (‘Minister Mamata’, IE, January 10). But may I ask a question. At a time, when Parliament has enacted a resolution that there should be economy in the number of ministerial berths is it proper to allot portfolios to ministers just to please them?

— Ashish Kumar Panda On e-mail

Fine tuning

• Saaed Naqvi’s column brings out the deliberate care that was applied at every step in the finalisation of the Islamabad joint press statement (IE, January 8). That goes to show that the two leaders and their delegations were genuinely sincere about the outcome of the Vajpayee-Musharraf meeting. This is just as well because this marks a major shift in the attitudes of the two neighbors. The agreements reached at the SAARC conference reflect also a similar frame of mind. We should hope that the process of the composite dialogue will be carried out in the same vein.

— Giri Girishankar On e-mail

Osama’s message

• How can Indian Express justify the printing of Osama bin Laden urging jihad (IE, January 9)? You have sunk to a new low. If it is sensationalism that you crave for, then you got it! But if you remotely consider yourself a responsible newspaper, then you have failed miserably.

— Ravi On e-mail