Way to go

The report by Amitav Ranjan and Santanu Ghosh ‘Govt bites the bullet, fires fuel and LPG prices’ (IE, November 5) un...

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The report by Amitav Ranjan and Santanu Ghosh ‘Govt bites the bullet, fires fuel and LPG prices’ (IE, November 5) underlines the inflationary pressures and political problems India is facing. To control inflation, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should put up all government owned firms except those in the defense and railway sectors for disinvestment. To control political problems from Communist quarters, disinvestment proceeds can pay down government debt and all interest savings arising from retiring government debt can be spent on the employment guarantee scheme. As a sop to RJD and for strategic reasons, under the employment guarantee scheme, rail tracks should be laid from Udampur to Srinagar.

— Arun Khanna On e-mail

Shocking turn

• As a Muslim Indian I am shocked and ashamed at Zaheera Sheikh’s allegations against Teesta Setalvad and retraction of her earlier statements given to court in the Best Bakery trial. It seems that communal forces have succeeded in winning over her not once but twice. It is undoubtedly a body blow to the Best Bakery retrial but I am sure that her allegations against Setalvad will only strengthen the latter’s resolve to take on communal forces with renewed might. All right thinking people are with her in her fight against injustice in Gujarat.

— Nawab Zafar Jung Former chairman, Waqf Board New Delhi

Bias shows

• Your biased editorial (‘Zaheera’s turnabout’, IE, November 5) is one more piece of your general bias against everything related BJP and Gujarat. It is a mockery that your editorial has failed to address the issue of the funding of NGOs and disbursement thereof, or the role of the NHRC that courted publicity at the cost of justice.

— K.D. Bandu Mumbai

Why did she do it?

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• This refers to Nimesh Patel’s letter (IE, November 5), asking for a probe into NGOs’ activities after the retraction by Zaheera Sheikh. He is simply echoing the VHP and BJP. Rather than probing NGOs, we should probe why Zaheera has changed her testimony now in Gujarat police custody.

— R.P. Desai On e-mail

Kerry was better

• The results of the American elections are a big setback not only for this nation but also for other nations who were hoping for a change in American leadership. Kerry as commander in chief would have been able to strengthen and revive ties with the international community and create real allies. Now it will be four more years of America as bully.

— Veenu Puri Vermani San Diego

More Naqvi!

• Apropos of ‘Dear Mr Bush, stay your hand’ (IE, November 5), Saeed Naqvi writes with depth and wisdom and his sharp observations and analyses on the outcome of the US elections have been great. I liked his views on the Sufi face of Islam. More thinkers and writers like Naqvi are required in all communities.

— Lipi Mukherji Toronto