Stubborn stain

Sir — The scam-infested United Progressive Alliance government is desperately trying to hold its head above water (“Govt weighs JPC option, rivals firm”, Nov 23). But the point is that if ministers like Shashi Tharoor and A. Raja were forced to resign on charges of corruption, then the prime minister and the Congress president, who are partly responsible for the situation, should put in their resignations as well for the sake of accountability. Such exemplary behaviour was common in the past. Lal Bahadur Shastri had resigned after a rail accident during his tenure as the railways minister. If the prime minister is forced to preside over a cabinet filled with corrupt men, he should step down on moral grounds. The same holds for the Congress president for having given a man like Suresh Kalmadi a place in the party. Has the Congress Party moved away from its time-honoured traditions?

Yours faithfully,
S. Kamat, Alto Betim, Goa

Sir — The prime minister’s long silence over the 2G spectrum controversy is unforgivable. Action against the corrupt has to be ruthless . The rise in graft and greed in India is a matter of concern. In Goa, we have a chief minister who continues to shield the state’s advocate general, who has been accused of financial irregularities. Maybe it is time the high court directed the chief minister to file an affidavit on this matter.

Yours faithfully,
Aires Rodrigues, Ribandar, Goa

Sir — Scams appear to be the order of the day. Not a month passes without some skeletons tumbling out of the government’s cupboard. India’s global image has taken a beating, and quite a few investors will shy away from investing in India because of the burgeoning corruption. Consequently, foreign institutional investors and foreign direct investment will suffer. Perhaps what India needs at this crucial juncture is military rule.

Yours faithfully,
Ashok Jayaram, Bangalore

Great loss

Sir — I am deeply saddened by the demise of the celebrated actor and educationist, N. Viswanathan. The news brought back memories of a bygone era. I was privileged to have him as my English teacher when I was a student of St Xavier’s College, Calcutta, in the late 1970s. He was a wonderful teacher, and the manner in which he taught Robert Browning’s poem, “The Last Ride Together”, is still etched on my mind. The pipe-smoking gentleman was also friendly with the students, and whenever I meet my old friends, we still talk about the jokes he used to crack. May his soul rest in peace.

Yours faithfully, Aloke Kumar De, Howrah

Sir — It is shocking that we have lost P. Lal and N. Viswanathan within the span of a month. Both of them were renowned teachers and had won the hearts of their students. Their absence will be acutely felt, now that our state is threatened with cultural bankruptcy.

Yours faithfully,
Govinda Bakshi, Budge Budge

Bolt from the blue

Sir — On Mahashashti evening, after getting down from a local train at Baranagar Road station, I had started to walk down the platform when I suddenly felt a heavy blow at the back of my head. As I slumped to the ground, the train sped off, leaving me helpless and traumatized. My senses grew numb, my vision became blurry and I experienced excruciating pain. After I pulled myself together, I was told that someone leaning from the train had hit me hard. I underwent a CT scan and awaited the diagnosis with a nagging sense of fear but was relieved to know that the test report was normal. Nonetheless, I had to endure the pain and suffered for a couple of weeks.

Such a childish act may go horribly awry and result in a fatal mishap any day. But this is not an isolated incident. A similar incident had taken place at B.B.D. Bag station on the Circular Railway, and some school students were the culprits on that occasion. Heaven only knows what possible pleasure they derive out of such a despicable act. But there can be no doubt about the fact that such people lack the right mindset. Moreover, it is not a healthy sign that the perpetrators are being allowed to get away easily. Such a dangerous practice must be stopped before an unsuspecting commuter loses his life.

Yours faithfully, Indranil Banerjee, Calcutta