SC order on Gujarat in the right direction
Sir, The Supreme Court order for a fresh probe on Gujarat riots reaffirms the strength of Indiaan democracy. We have seen that in cases of communal violence, the guilty so far have generally not been punished and the innocents have lost their life and everything. The rot begins with the biased state apparatus which looks the other way when the carnage is going on. The political leadership is the one, which at times leads, colludes and sleeps merrily when the pogrom is on.

The police machinery, gripped by biases, silently supports the rioters, fails to control the riots even when it can do so and does not register cases when needed. If it does so then the investigation is deliberately botched up, which ensures that the guilty get away. Even the judiciary, fails to deliver justice due to communalisation of the system. The decision of the SC is worth its weight in gold.
Ram Puniyani
Mumbai

Pay puzzles
Sir, With reference to your editorial, Pay hike puzzles (DH, Mar 26), under the new pay commission report the government has to make a provision for Rs 12,560 crores for the current year, if accepted. The State government employees will now demand parity with the central government staff. Once these recommendations are implemented it will further spiral inflation. The increase in salaries is unlikely to improve administrative efficiency and relief for the aam admi in redressing his woes? 
H N Ramakrishna
Bangalore

Responsibility
Sir, The Sixth Pay Commission report appears less glossy than it appeared on first sight. The hike, is only meagre for the lowest group of the salariat while it has been substantive insofar as the highest bracket is concerned. Nobody will grudge the fact that bureaucrats should earn more and live better. But, members of India’s sprawling bureaucracy cannot claim to enjoy higher earnings without shouldering any of the responsibilities that are normally tied into higher salaries.
VANI A
Hyderabad

China and Olympics
Sir, The situation in Tibet is in troubled waters. There seems to be no amicable solution to the problem, atleast for the myopic future. With China only a few months away from showcasing the Olympics; how ironic it would be, for, the Olympics Games, as it symbolises peace and brotherhood between the nations of the world. When it cannot be at peace with its immediate neighbour, then what relevance would the 2008 Olympics have?
Ashwin Ramesh
Bangalore

Democratic fruits
Sir, This refers to the editorial Newest democracy (DH, Mar 26). While it is good for Bhutan people to usher in an era of democracy; it is equally important for the new government to be sworn in to maintain the democracy status quo for a long time to come. Bhutan should take not of developments in other countries like Nepal. Thimpu  should  therefore make all efforts to tackle potential  problems before  it is too late or else it would eat into its hard earned democratic fruits.
S Sundaresh
Bangalore

Crackdown
Sir, At least in the aftermath of British teenager Scarlett Keeling’s death, the Goa government should immediately crackdown on the rampant sale of illegal drugs and drug peddlers operating across the state. The Goa police needs to ask Scarlett’s mother Fiona Mackeown some tough questions on her appalling negligence and gross dereliction of duty in leaving her 15 year old minor girl in Goa while she set off to tour Karnataka.
Aires Rodrigues
Goa