Today's Letters
Bihar better under JD (U)-BJP
Sir,
This refers to the news item: ‘Bihar has not moved an inch in 20 yrs: Rahul’ (DH Sep 5). The AICC general secretary may be partly correct, but, the fact remains that the most backward State in India has not seen any improvement since independence when the Indian National Congress was at the helm and under RJD when Lalu and his wife Rabri added to the mess.
Only for the last five years the JD (U)-BJP combine is in the saddle. As per reports it is doing enough to bring a semblance of improvement by taking up development works and straining its nerves to put an end to the lawlessness, criminalization of politics and mitigate the gravity of corruption. It is an accepted fact that the combine has liberated Bihar from the Jungle Raj. There is no denying the fact that improvement is taking place in the State.
To derive transient benefit, Rahul is making sweeping remarks without knowing the ground reality or taking the reports into consideration. The combine’s convincing win against the parties like RJD in the elections is proof that people are fed up with caste-based politics and are hankering for a change to assist in the development of the State.
H.P.Murali
Bangalore
Axing of Kerala Professor unfortunate
This refers to the news item, "After palm chopped off, Kerala prof is axed" (September 5, 2010). The decision of the management of Newman's College at Thodupuzha to terminate the services of Prof. T.J. Joseph whose right palm was chopped off by some members of an extremist religious organization for purportedly setting a question for an examination which provoked the religious sentiments of a community is unfortunate. The charges against the professor pertain to setting up of a question based on a lesson prescribed for study. The basic point in the matter is to establish whether the question was within the scope of the syllabus or whether the professor wrongly interpreted the syllabus and framed a wrong question which had the implications of maligning a community.
If the former is the case, how can anybody find fault with the paper setter? In case the latter is found to be true, the matter pertains to an academic discipline and the University is the proper body to take action. Normally the punishment for such negligence is to debar the person for a certain period of time from being an examiner.
In any case, slapping such a punishment on a person who has already suffered, and is continuing to suffer severe physical and mental torture is inhuman. Normally in such situations, anybody would expect the management to be more empathetic towards the victim. Perhaps under the circumstances, the best course for a proactive management would be to advise the professor to seek a voluntary retirement.
K.K. Cherian
Brand Ambassadors ought to be more circumspect
Teen Badminton sensation, Saina Nehwal, one of the five brand ambassadors for the much maligned upcoming Commonwealth Games certainly ruffled more than a few feathers when she openly lashed out at India's preparations for the Delhi Games. At a time when the CWG continues to battle myriad controversies and stiff completion deadlines, Nehwal's 'ill timed candour' hasn't found too many admirers. Hence, one wasn't overtly surprised when she backtracked on her previous statement a while later. She ought to refrain from making such statements, especially on account of being a brand ambassador for the Games. That being the case, only time will tell whether the Games actually become a success, as our 'esteemed organisers' keep proclaiming despite the controversies that continue to rage on.
Pradyut Hande
Mumbai
