Sania?s sanity

Sir ? The recent Sania Mirza syndrome that has gripped the English language media needs immediate cure, both for the health of the nation and Sania?s own sanity. First the media launched the player as the ?tennis queen? and made her into a phenomenon, which created unwanted pressure on her and went on to explain the hysteria among the Indian crowd. They bragged about her success, her prowess, her mental strength. And then with one defeat, the media are suddenly ready with their daggers to slay her for what is being made out to be a moral downfall. Is it fair on the young player? Is Sania the next prey after the Indian cricketers? When will the Indian media grow up and learn to take things as they are? When will they stop blowing things out of proportion so that when the bubble bursts, there is nothing left except vacuum?

Yours faithfully,
Rashmi Jaiswal, Howrah

Rich in rhetoric

Sir ? Ashok Mitra needs new ideas for his column. An article, which was supposed to discuss the implications of the assembly elections, has once again become a rant against ?imperialistic? foreigners, India?s ?rich favouring? economic policy and other such tiresome rhetoric (?Love?s labours lost?, Mar 4). Mitra thinks that now the republic exists only for the rich. He should have said instead that the republic before 1991 used to exist only for the rich. In the 13 years of liberalization which Mitra so hates, millions of Indians have been lifted out of poverty. China, one may argue, has done the job faster. Guess why? Faster liberalization. If the pro-rich policies failed so miserably, as Mitra would have us believe, why is the difference so stark between the countries under the ?iron triangle? and those in western Europe? Why is it that North Korea is a wasteland and South Korea a member of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development? Why are the east Asian tigers so highly developed while the South American communist states are not? The evidence goes against Mitra.

Mitra disagrees with allowing foreign direct investment in retail, construction and mining. Why should our miners continue to work in medieval conditions just in order to keep out foreign technology? What is wrong in letting in the American retail giants if they help improve their Indian counterparts? Greater competition has produced stronger domestic firms. Look at Wipro, Infosys, Satyam, Dr Reddy's, Ranbaxy ? the list could go on.

Mitra thinks that allowing FDI in construction would mean alteration of India?s landscape. Does he think Mumbai?s slums are part of India?s proud heritage? I want to see a Shanghai repeated and bettered in Mumbai. But Mitra of course would rather have the slums.

Yours faithfully,
Aruni Mukherjee, Coventry, UK

Sir ? As usual, Ashok Mitra lashes out at the Congress for its announcements favouring the ?rich? and the ?foreigners?. Presumably, it is only the left which cares for the poor, the rest are all crooks. About his objection to the opening up of the economy through retail trade, construction and so on, may I ask a simple question? Can any of his comrades in China castigate the party for favouring foreigners, whose investment in that country is ten times more than in India? The foreign investors are liked not because of their faces but because they have the capability of generating wealth. And by the way, Comrade Mitra, your friends in West Bengal are wooing the rich and the foreigners for the same reason.

Yours faithfully,
Asoke C. Banerjee, Calcutta

Sir ? Ashok Mitra sums up pithily how the tables have turned on the left, which, until recently, believed it had the leash in its hands. The trend, unfortunately, was evident even prior to the budget. The Congress has given in to the left?s dictates on the provident fund interest rate but has thrown to the wind its objections to the funds being invested in the share market. The budget clearly indicates that the Congress has paid short shrift to the left?s pleas against lowering company taxes, or encouraging FDIs in sectors like mining and retail trade.

Mitra is right when he says that the fear of a saffron comeback may restrain the left. But perhaps not for all time to come. For in the end, it is the Congress which has more to lose from such a political upset than the left, which held on to its citadels even during the saffron dispensation. Hence, Mitra can take heart. By its political and economic indiscretion, the Congress is actually digging its own grave.

Yours faithfully,
J. Chatterjee, Calcutta

Smashing idol

Sir ? I watched the last episode of Sony?s Indian Idol with much trepidation. But I knew that the winner would not be Amit Sana. The reason why Sana, despite being more talented than the winner, did not emerge victorious needs to be made clear, even to the ?Great Indian Public? which rejected him. Sana is smart and educated, has both style and sophistication. What he lacks is fair skin and handsome looks, and Indians are mad about both. It is a shame that no amount of education and upbringing can change that outlook. Sana?s loss is India?s loss.

Yours faithfully,
Maushumi Guha, Calcutta

Sir ? Sony TV and the mobile telephone companies must have netted in a huge profit from Indian Idol. A part of the money generated could have been sent to the tsunami victims.

Yours faithfully,
R. Sekar, Angul, Orissa

Sir ? Indian Idol proved that music is still a living force in India.

Yours faithfully,
Rajdeep Patnaik, Cuttack