Why should Peter pay for Paul?

Sir — It is unfortunate that instead of carrying on with the privatization of public sector units, the government has decided to increase the salaries and benefits of PSU employees. One feels sorry for the private-sector employee who, in effect, now has to fork out more money to ensure a cushy lifestyle to the lucky few employed in the PSUs. One of the worst forms of injustice in modern India is the way the common man is forced to subsidize the princely lifestyle of a fellow citizen. Why should tax revenue be spent on running a hotel or an aluminium plant?

Yours faithfully,
Abhijit Guha, Mississauga, Canada

Kingdom gone

Sir — Sankarshan Thakur must be thanked for his report on the harmonious fusion of Hinduism and Marxism in Nepal (“Where revolution meets Ramayan”, April 11). Nepal’s Maoists seem to have married communism to what Marx called the “opium of the masses” without any apparent clash or contradiction. Their comrades in India have failed to achieve this synthesis. A vermilion mark or obeisance to the deities is anathema to them. Remember how Subhas Chakraborty was censured for bowing before the idol of Kali in Tarapeeth? The Maoists of Nepal, led by Prachanda, have discarded the “opium of the masses” theory quite conclusively. In fact, they led their revolutionary march from the temple tower, without any fear of offending either Marx or Chairman Mao.

Let the pseudo-Marxists of India learn from their Nepalese counterparts that religion is not the antithesis of Marxism; rather, a synthesis of religion and communist ideology is sometimes a prudent option.

Yours faithfully,
Md. Hashim, Calcutta

Sir — I was in Kathmandu for ten days just before the elections, and it comes as no surprise to me that the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has done as well as it has. I have seen the almost rock-star status that Comrade Prachanda enjoys in his country, where Maoist flags flutter from rickshaws and atop buildings. It is a mystery why the Indian media and diplomats seem to be shocked by the results. The people of Nepal are not fools. They know that without the Maoist People’s War, the corrupt regime of King Gyanendra would still be firmly in place and all talk of egalitarianism would be no more than hot air. They voted for the only agents who could bring in genuine change.

That the Maoists would win was also evident in their insistence on a proportionate representation system ballot. By this method, parties win seats according to the percentage of votes they win. As such, this is a far more accurate indicator of who enjoys how much support than the ‘first past the post’ system followed by India.

It is no surprise, though, that some elements in India, who are always “championing democracy”, along with their political masters in Washington, should be troubled by the verdict of this entirely democratic election. For such people, democracy only exists when the right candidate (in more senses than one) wins. As for the new Maoist dispensation in Nepal, it will probably look to forgive India’s unprincipled military and political support of the corrupt monarchy for the sake of long-term ties.

Yours faithfully,
Biswapriya Purkayastha, Shillong

Sir — The Maoists in Nepal have surprised all with their phenomenal performance in the recently held elections. They left behind a bloody trail to finally opt for the ballot over the bullet. However, as the Maoists get ready to form a new government, there are apprehensions already about the former rebels’ sincerity and capability to provide effective governance. Will the trouble-torn country get peace at last?

Yours faithfully,
Farzana Nigar, Ranchi