Cruel intent

Sir - Narendra Modi had promised to bring " achche din" to the people. His actions tell a different story. The prices of essential commodities have spiralled following the Union government's decision to increase the rate of service tax. The government has also not reduced domestic oil prices as much as it should have. Crude oil prices fell below $30 a barrel in the international market recently. And now the Modi government has slashed interest rates on small savings ("Small saving rates cut, tied to market", March 19). This will have a negative effect on the middle classes and the poorer sections of society.

The Union finance minister, Arun Jaitley, had proposed to tax employees' provident fund withdrawals in his budget speech. There was an uproar against the decision, and the government had to drop the plan subsequently. But now the government has declared a drastic reduction in the interest rates on small-saving investments such as the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana and the public provident fund. The social security net in India is not as strong as it is in the West. In such a situation, if the interest rates are slashed repeatedly then how would senior citizens survive? Many from this group depend on the interest from their deposits in post offices. Not all of them have a fat government pension to fall back upon. The National Democratic Alliance government seems bent on harming the interests of the lower and the middle-income groups. The people of this country should be ashamed of having elected such a government.

Yours faithfully,

Sanjay Agarwal, Calcutta

 

Sir - After failing to impose a tax on EPF withdrawals, now the Narendra Modi government has slashed the interest rates on small saving schemes. This is a bad decision on the part of the government. Even small-saving investments offered by post offices have not been spared. The justification of the government is that the reduction of interest rates on savings schemes would prompt banks to offer loans at lower rates. But which segment of the population is going to benefit from such a reduction? Surely, not the wage earners and those belonging to the lower-middle classes? Those with high-paying jobs or businesses primarily take loans. So the government is rewarding the rich by taking away from the poor.

As a senior citizen I would request the prime minister to rethink this decision. These are tough times; Modi should spare a thought for the poor.

Yours faithfully,

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

Without shame

Sir - The editorial, "Chit fest" (March 7), has mentioned correctly that cheating "no longer seems to be a clandestine act" in India. Examinations have more or less turned into a farce in the public imagination. Such malpractices are gaining ground because of the ideological bankruptcy of the political classes. There have been incidents in which hoodlums have helped students by passing on answer chits right under the nose of the administration. The 'no-detention policy' followed across India up to Class VIII has also contributed to a spurt in cheating. It is good that the government of Bihar has announced a fine and a jail term for cheaters and their accomplices. But the effort will be bear no fruit if those resorting to unfair means in examinations are not apprehended.

Yours faithfully,

Govinda Bakshi, Budge Budge

Parting shot

Sir - I had stopped going to the Eden Gardens for almost a decade. Visiting the stadium meant putting up with a lot of inconvenience. However, I could not resist myself from attending the World Twenty20 match between India and Pakistan ("Dedicate this to Sachin: Virat", March 20). But I found that not much has changed in the intervening years. Although the concrete seats have been replaced with bucket seats, many in the audience were occupying seats not allotted to them. This had been the case in earlier years as well. With their seats usurped, many ticket holders used to park themselves along the aisles.

The prohibition in recent years on carrying food from outside has made matters worse. This means one must eat whatever is available at the stalls in the stadium, no matter whether the food is palatable or not. The alternative is to forego food for the entire length of the match. In the good old days, people used to carry food baskets from home. The atmosphere at the match would be akin to that at a picnic.

The number of washrooms provided is also not adequate for a gathering of more than 60,000 spectators. During the innings break, there was such a long queue in the front of the toilet that I could not go anywhere near it. The stadium authorities should provide sufficient number of food stalls and toilets to cater to the huge number of people who attend cricket matches at Eden Gardens. They must also ensure that spectators occupy their designated seats. Many call Eden Gardens the 'Mecca of cricket'. This is chiefly due to the intense enthusiasm for the game among the spectators of our city. It is time the authorities started respecting them and provided them with better amenities.

Yours faithfully,

Vinod Mody, Calcutta