Left’s arguments beat imagination
Sir, It beats the imagination why Prakash Karat and his party do not want India to take the next two steps in the nuclear engagement with the United States. The next steps are essential because they engage India with many more countries, diluting the hitherto isolation of our people from the larger world.
Surely, we can be confident of our ability to transact what is the best deal for us and continue to ensure, through democratic negotiations, that we are not taken for a ride or exploited.
But during the past two years, apart from barking and snapping at the Government every time the nuclear deal came up for discussion, the Left has done precious little. Let us not forget that it was the Left which broke ranks with the Opposition when the BJP suggested the adoption of a sense of the House resolution to fix the bottomline of the deal.
Having rescued the Government then, it can't ask for its scalp now.
-- J S ACHARYA
Hyderabad
Improve infrastructure
Sir, Now that the centre has refused permission to rename Belgaum as Belagavi, (No Belagavi, Belgaum to stay, DH, Aug 21) Karnataka must ensure the status quo. Belgaum happens to be in Karnataka and perhaps shall remain so. But it is equally important to understand that it borders Maharashtra and Goa, and Kannada speaking population co-exists amicably with Konkani and Marathi people. There was no need to Kannadise the existing name and sow the seeds of discontent in the region which has been remarkably peaceful in recent times. Instead, the state government should concentrate on important things such as improving the region's infrastructure – roads, water and electricity.
--Gopal Sutar
Riyadh
PM’s miscalculation
Sir, When a collision government is ruling, you have to discuss the merits and demerits of all major policy decisions with your allies. Now the Left parties are not in favour of the Indo-US nuke as per the 123 agreement. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has already given his green signal, without anticipating the current problem. Before finalising the deal, Dr Singh had not consulted his allies, particularly the Left parties. On the one hand it is a prestigious issue for him to sign the deal, and on the other hand this issue is also prestigious for the Left to stop it. All this happened because of Singh’s miscalculation.
--K Ragavan
Sharjah
Hebbal lake
Sir, Your special feature, The case of vanishing lakes (DH Metro, Aug 21) was timely but the accent was more on pollution and conservation. Where have all the lakes gone is a serious question to be answered and addressed. I would like to bring to the notice of the authorities that a portion of the dried up Hebbal lake is being filed up. The work is still going on and about 2000 square feet from the lake near the flyover has already been filled with black earth and some abandoned vehicles are parked there. Who is doing the filling and for what purpose the land will be used will definitely impact the survival of the lake in future.
--Prasad V
Bangalore
MK’s tactics
Sir, It is amusing to know that the Tamil Nadu government is in the process of getting approval from the Centre to run Cable TV network in the State. (DH, Aug. 10).
What is intriguing is that whether M Karunanidhi thinks that his government has solved all the basic problems of the State like poverty, illiteracy, unemployment and hence it is time for the government to provide the people with some state sponsored entertainment.
--K MUTHURAJ
Bangalore
