PICTURE SPEAK

"Red Czar", September 5

"Prakash Karat's strength is not innate but the product of the circumstances in which a party in minority is ruling the country."

G.R. Saha, Kolkata

Red Blues

Prakash Karat's ideological, remote-controlled paper revolution is seriously at odds with mass politics ("Red Czar", September 5). It is time the communist in him realises that wealth creation is no longer a dirty word and enhanced materialistic aspirations in a globally competitive free market economy are here to stay.

Gopan Krishnan, Pune

It appears the communists are trying to halt the momentum of liberalisation but their emphasis that it should have a human face is well taken by the have-nots. The young Prakash Karat is the new face of the CPI(M). He is articulate but being too belligerent does not help anyone except the BJP, which is waiting in the wings for the UPA experiment to fail. The CPI(M) has to face elections in Kerala and West Bengal and it is clear it wants to be seen as opposing the policies of the Congress.

D.B.N. Murthy, Bangalore

The principles which the left parties firmly believe in are no longer relevant. The protectionist policy followed by post-independence leaders has cost India industrialists like Laxmi Mittal. To grow in the truest sense we need open competition among the companies, rather than protection for the public-sector units.

Subhrajyoti Behera, Bhubaneswar

The communists in India are struggling to find a place in the changing economical and political climate of the country. Their confused state is reflected in their contrasting attitude towards economic reforms in West Bengal and at the Centre.

Lakshmikanth S., on e-mail

The article is one-sided. The left parties have been raising issues that will shape the future of the nation. In doing so they have started a vital process in democracy because democracy is all about addressing everyone's concerns and arriving at a consensus. Your criticism appeared targeted at communism itself rather than the functioning of the communists in India.

N.C. Bhuvaneswaran, on e-mail

The Congress leaders cannot fight the Left sitting in air-conditioned rooms in Delhi. They have to come out on the streets and among the common people, to whom they are accountable.

Anupam Gandhi, Surat

The left turn for the survival of the UPA Government is slowly becoming an Achilles' heal. It is a pity that a government headed by a person who is given the credit for initiating the reforms in 1991 is helpless even though he has a dream pro-reforms team of Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Vijay Upadhyaya, Nagpur

With Prakash Karat at the helm of the CPI(M) affairs, the party seems to be improving its image. While Sitaram Yechury is seen more as a confronting-turned-compromising ally of the UPA, Karat did succeed in causing a few anxious moments to the Congress, which compelled it to backtrack on a few decisions.

P.K. Srivastava, on e-mail

The Congress and the other allies in the UPA are committed to the Common Minimum Programme. The UPA allies certainly cannot deviate from this guide book for the management of the government. Karat's request to the Congress to work within the parameters of the CMP is perfectly valid.

C.P. Chandra Das, Coimbatore

A Question of Rights

The real victims of the mullahs are the hapless women in their community ("Mullahs' Mandate", September 5). It is time for the educated and enlightened Muslims to eradicate the menace of these self-righteous clergymen.

A.K. Ghosh, Kolkata

No democracy in the world gives a group the licence to run a parallel judicial system in religious matters. The most disturbing fact is that nobody comes out strongly against attempts at Talibanising of our country. The only silver lining is the division within the Muslim community itself against fatwas.

Janardanan, Bahadurgarh

Wake-up Call

India has suffered immensely because of its soft approach towards Pakistan. If it continues to live up to its reputation of being a soft state vis-a-vis Bangladesh, it will allow terrorist elements to proliferate there also ("New Hot Spot of Terror", September 5). The time is not for asking further questions and seeking evidence, but one for decisive, uncompromising action against the state's enemies.

P. Madhok, Mumbai

India's approach only shows that we Indians believe in "sub chalta hai" and "till it doesn't affect me, I don't care" attitude.

K.V. Raghuram, Wayanad

MAKE OR BREAK

There is nothing sacrosanct about film titles and stories ("Classic Squabble", September 5). They have been repeated a number of times in the past. M.M. Gurbaxani, Bangalore The remakes of old classics should never be allowed. Can anyone surpass Waheeda Rehman in Guide or Rekha in Umrao Jaan or Zeenat Aman in Don? Asha Gawri, on e-mail The Sippys should let Ram Gopal Varma remake Sholay in his own way. After all, it will not be a frame-to-frame remake and only the premise will be the same. Joseph K. Joseph, Kochi

Summer Fog

Madan Lal Khurana asked for it. But the point now is how to save the BJP's sinking ship ("Fighting the Enemy Within", September 5)? It is a litmus test for Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L.K. Advani. Vajpayee should take the reins of the party in his hands. He must bring discipline in the party and then hand over the party presidentship to the most acceptable young leader. As for Advani, he should gracefully step aside. Otherwise, he will lose all his standing.

Anusha Singh, Delhi

It is not that Advani is fighting the enemy within his party. Actually, he is fighting himself. It is time he decided whether the demolition of Babri masjid was the "saddest day" in his life or when he saves Narendra Modi every day, is his happiest one.

Shanky Kothari, on e-mail

Black Holes in the Files

The people of India have been betrayed by successive governments that sold them dreams of improving their lot by setting up various GoMs, panels and committees ("Grouping in the Dark", September 5). Most of the GoMs do not meet or their recommendations are given a silent burial. Some even disappear without a trace. The Government has to be sincere in making the whole process transparent, policy-making time bound and implementation of recommendations mandatory. Otherwise it is another futile and expensive exercise to please MPs.

Vitull K. Gupta, Bhatinda

Ascertaining the total expenditure incurred by the Government on various commissions and committees in the 15 months of its tenure will be an interesting exercise. It is time that the taxpayers sent a strong signal to the prime minister that the financial burden of running the coalition by appeasing those who provided the crutches for survival should not be transferred to them.

Inder Nath, on e-mail

Nothing Impartial About It

Political appointees as governors can never do justice to the impartial nature of the post ("Desperate Moves", September 5). Such persons are bound to work according to the requirements of those who appointing them. Only retired judges and bureaucrats with distinguished service records should be made governors and they should give an undertaking that they will not join politics after retirement.

Madhu Agrawal, Delhi

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