Opinion Letters to the Editor: Get real

Harsh Vardhan's regressive comments on sex education might have been welcome in the 19th century.

July 1, 2014 12:03 AM IST First published on: Jul 1, 2014 at 12:00 AM IST

Get real

This refers to ‘How to be secular’ (IE, June 30). The editorial was correct in its portrayal of the sentiments of the people of India. A.K. Antony is the first Congress leader who has boldly admitted that this party’s version of secularism might be distorted. While Antony’s remarks were meant for the Kerala Congress, they are applicable to the party as a whole. But what Antony said is not new. Even Muslim leaders like Maulana Madani have pointed out that instead of scaring Muslims by raising the spectre of the BJP, the Congress must do something substantive to bring Muslims on par with other communities like implement the recommendations of the Sachar committee report. Muslims themselves are sceptical of the Congress now. Everyone knows, for instance, that the Maharashtra government’s reservation announcement on the eve of elections might not stand the court’s scrutiny. The Congress needs to get real and engage in some introspection if it wants to bounce back.

— B.N. Anand
Mohali

Not optional

The gas pipeline fire in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh is another tragedy that could have been avoided (‘Initial probe blames GAIL for fire, two suspended’, IE, June 30). Whether GAIL conducted periodic maintenance of its pipelines is a moot question. The pipeline was old and therefore susceptible to corrosion. GAIL apparently even ignored the locals’ complaints of odd-smelling gas hours before the incident. Public sector companies must be forced to adhere to strict safety standards. Safety training is not an optional extra. It is a grave lapse that these issues are not accorded more importance or prominence in India.

— Ganapathi Bhat
Akola

19th century minister

Harsh Vardhan’s regressive comments on sex education might have been welcome in the 19th century. But in the 21st century, sex education is very important. It’s difficult to keep children in some sort of an isolated bubble in this globalised information age. There is every danger that in the absence of comprehensive sex education in schools, children may get their information from all manner of unreliable sources.

— Ankush Sharma
Jammu

Spot on

This refers to ‘You can pay crores for ads. why can’t you pay taxes?’ (IE, June 28). This acrid question, posed by the apex court to Binani Cements, was appropriate. The only remedy to tax defaulters who have the money to hire celebrities like Amitabh Bachchan for advertisements is having the courts come down heavily on them.

— V. Chandramohan
Bangalore