Wrong sort of power

Sir — Sunanda K. Datta-Ray’s article on the emerging picture of coalition politics in India (“Fronts and friendships”, March 21) reveals the vested interests and selfish ambitions behind the much publicized alliances and break-ups among political parties in the run-up to the 2009 Lok Sabha elections. Quite unpalatable ingredients are being added to the simmering cauldron of Indian politics. Be it the distribution of goodies in exchange for votes, or allowing candidates with charges against them to fight elections, or permitting nominees to deliver ‘hate speeches’, politicians seldom fail to surprise the voters. Every time we think that this is the lowest level that our democracy can sink to, a new low comes up, courtesy the obsessive zeal of politicians to win at any cost.

They say that politics is the last refuge of scoundrels. Sadly, India has become a glaring example of that. Why is the Representation of the People Act is so lax on the fundamental issue of strict criteria for the education and moral background of candidates? In our country, no education or training is needed to become an elected representative, money and muscle power are enough. People charged with crimes should be barred from joining politics, let alone contest elections. But they even become the lawmakers. A stringent law in this regard could have saved India from corrupt leaders to some extent.

The emphasis of governments should be on providing food, clothing and shelter, education and infrastructure. For that we do not need numerous political parties. We need sensible citizens and strong leaders who have the best interests of India at heart.

Yours faithfully,
Alokananda Bhattacharyya, Guwahati

Sir — It is very unfortunate that instead of approaching the electorate with plans to make India really progressive, politicians are merely engaged in staking claim for the prime ministerial position, and that, too, by playing the caste or racial card. As if Sharad Pawar’s clamouring for the top job because he is a Marathi is not outrageous enough, Ram Vilas Paswan has also jumped into the fray by invoking his Dalit identity.

When will India become a truly modern, neutral and united nation where prime ministers will be chosen on the basis of capability, and not with an eye on different vote banks — based on religion, caste, region, language, and so on?

Yours faithfully,
Kajal Chatterjee, Sodepur

Own goal

Sir — The group of women litigants before the Supreme Court, one of whom hurled a slipper at a judge, is reportedly highly educated (“Woman hurls slipper at judge”, March 21). From their conduct, it can be said that the educational institutions they went to must have given them true education according to present-day standards.The woman who hurled the slipper at the judge is obviously more highly educated and cultured than the others, since that is what is manifested in her conduct.

It is in the fitness of things that instead of serving a jail term for three months, these women should be immediately sent to a lunatic asylum where they might require balance. The school they teach in could wait for them to come back after being properly enlightened.

Yours faithfully,
Salil Kumar Kar, Calcutta

Sir — Deplorable as it may be, the incident of a woman hurling a slipper in the Supreme Court calls for serious introspection. The Supreme Court is the court of last resort. The lower courts would have cost the litigant a lot in money and time before he or she knocks on its doors for justice. The honourable judiciary may appreciate the conditions litigants face. Justice is not cheap except, perhaps, for the very rich. Although showing such contempt is inexcusable, and anyone doing so should be penalized, it is also true that litigants generally experience adjournment after adjournment as well as numerous other problems. It takes years for a case to be settled; the backlog of cases attests to this.

The honourable judiciary in its wisdom and fairness needs to consider the hardships litigants have to struggle against.With the judiciary taking serious notice of these inconveniences, systems to deliver timely relief could be put in place.

Yours faithfully,
Subrata Datta, Calcutta

Fare deal

Sir — The ministry of civil aviation should be concerned that its efforts to encourage the ordinary Indian to fly are being thwarted by private airlines. First, tickets for domestic flights are highly priced even when they are being booked many weeks before the journey date. This is contrary to logic, and to the earlier custom that tickets would be sold at cheaper rates till a few days before the journey, under so-called ‘promotional schemes’.

Second, non-refundable fares, whereby the lion’s share of the booking price is forfeited on cancellation, seem unlawful; the railways never do likewise. Again, even when the price of jet fuel has dropped, private airlines have not refunded a rupee of the fare charged to passengers who booked their tickets months earlier. The ministry of civil aviation must look into the grievances of ordinary passengers if the government wants to make air travel transparent, cheap and popular as it is in the countries of the West.

Yours faithfully,
Shivaji K. Moitra, Kharagpur