'PM I.K. Gujral's meeting with Bill Clinton is just another case of vacuous media hype'

State's Failure"The issue is not so much the rise in the incidents of extortion but the failure of our intelligence and law-enforcing agencies."-Pramod Valsangkar, HyderabadWhere's the Cure?The cover story on the menace of extortion was timely ("Extortion Nightmare", October 6). But unlike your usual approach, it failed to suggest remedial steps. True, the Government has failed to protect its citizens, who are more often than not left to fend for themselves. Just taking stock of the situation will not do. What we must focus on is a cure for it. What we need are stringent laws, providing more autonomy to the police and setting up a national task force.-Chaitanya Belwal, LucknowDelicate BalanceJudicial activism in India has come full circle today ("Judicial Dissensions", October 6). The present impasse is reflective of the shrewd manoeuvres on the part of the judiciary as well as the executive. Any excess from either of them could aggravate the situation further and may well erode the credibility that these institutions enjoy in the eyes of the people.-Sayeedur Rahman N., DelhiCorrupting the YoungSatellite TV has already corrupted the minds of the teenyboppers in Chandigarh ("Hick Turns Hep", October 6). The mushrooming of discos and pubs in the city has only made matters worse . It is disheartening to see that attendance in schools and colleges is becoming thinner by the day. Books and pens are being replaced by cigarettes and beer mugs, school uniforms with minis and 'stretchables'. Must we willfully lead our children to ruin?-Anuraag S. Kapoor, Chandigarh.preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Bad BusinessAt a time when India is in need of foreign investment, Union Industry Minister Murasoli Maran's comments on the Maruti issue ("Aversion to Success", October 6) could send out wrong signals to prospective investors in Japan and the West. Suzuki only objected to the appointment of R.S.S.L.N. Bhaskarudu as managing director. All that the Government had to do was to take a middle path to settle the matter amicably.-N. Visweswaran, NagercoilThe manner in which the resolution appointing R.S.S.L.N. Bhaskarudu as managing director was passed at the Maruti Udyog board meeting is still a mystery. The public has a right to know how the actual voting for the resolution took place. The rules and regulations governing board meetings were not adhered to. The Government must quickly think of alternative solutions to the dispute or be prepared for an unfavourable decision by the international arbitrator in Paris.-M.C. Gupta, HyderabadNational HazardThat parthenium prevents the growth of Ageratum is nothing new ("Killer Weed", October 6). What we need to focus on is that it is a rapid coloniser and a threat to other vegetation in its vicinity. Apart from the abnormalities it produces in other plants through the release of various chemical retardants, parthenium also causes serious allergic skin reactions in human beings. The weed is a declared national hazard.-Joy Dawson, AllahabadJust Media HypePrime minister I.K. Gujral's meeting with US President Bill Clinton is just another case of vacuous media hype ("Uncle Sam's Agenda", September 29). The US has neither been our ally so far, nor is it likely to become one in the future. India has been trying to improve its ties with the US for the past 50 years, but these overtures have been snubbed with illogical and discriminatory demands. The US has for years been trying to foist the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) and the nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty on us without success. No self-respecting sovereign nation would bow to the kind of pressures that it exerts. In the context of its past record, why should we expect the US to have a sudden change of heart now?-Prashant Sharma, DelhiWhile the so-called new chapter in Indo-US relations is welcome, Prime Minister I.K. Gujral must be careful not to give in to US President Bill Clinton's pressure tactics on CTBT or, for that matter, even Kashmir. The real test of the new understanding lies in whether or not India gets a permanent seat in the UN Security Council.-G. Sriram, Trichy"Of the 300 rail accidents so far this year, not 249 but 250 (including Railway Minister Ram Vilas Paswan) were caused by human error."-T. Rekha Babu, KancheepuramSpeed up JusticeTo resolve a genuine court case within a short time seems next to impossible in our country ("Who will Hasten the Judges?" September 29). The common man is reluctant to even seek justice because the judicial process is so protracted and expensive these days. Criminal forces have little or no fear of "the long arm of the law" because they know that it will be a long time before they are actually proven guilty. So they continue with their wicked ways and somehow worm themselves out of the charges made against them. Speeding up the process of justice is the first step towards putting the judicial system in order.-Bharat B. Agroya, PuneOur politicians may be corrupt but at least they can be voted out if they do not respect the wishes of the people. However, in the case of the judiciary, our judges are so sensitive that even if one were to point out their weaknesses, one would run the risk of being pulled up for contempt of court. The media, too, is surprisingly cautious while dealing with courts. Talking about politicians is fine, but do not leave the judiciary out of focus.-Chirag Amin, AhmedabadMovie MirageMany middle-class aspirants in their quest for stardom fail to realise that they are a financial drain on their families ("Fatal Attraction", September 29). They pin their hopes on the few success stories of stars who have made it big after a hard struggle. But what about the thousands more who haven't been so lucky? These Bollywood wannabes are only waiting for a dream invitation to stardom that may never arrive.-Gaurav Sharma, DelhiBest Left AloneUndeland's singular field work on updating the ornithological database in Punjab is commendable ("The Big Perch", September 22). It stands out in a country where few seem to have the time or the inclination for such matters. From the little-known Harike's point of view, however, this is a blessing in disguise; for too much attention could well push its species towards the endangered list.-Kumar Ghorpade, BangalorePolitical MismanagementIt is the central government that is responsible for the insurgency in Manipur ("In the Lion's Den", September 15). Preoccupied with Kashmir, it has failed to realise that the situation in the state, or for that matter in the whole of the North-east, is far more dangerous. It is because of the Government's piecemeal approach to the problem that things have come to such a pass. The solution lies not in military but political options.-K.S. Srinivas, Bangalore"Who said the old are fused bulbs? Panjab varsity's 60-plus students should inspire other senior citizens to enrich their lives and the education system."-J.R. Laroiya, NoidaBanal ViewsWe all knew that politicians in employment were harmful to the nation's well-being-until Mani Shankar Aiyar came along. The unemployed ones are worse. Thanks to the generosity of your magazine, its readers are subjected to a page full of nonsense and personal vendetta week after week. His views, especially on India's 'muddle class' and the state of the economy are themselves muddled. I suggest that an opinion poll be conducted among readers before continuing with his column of personal diatribe and banality.-V. Anantha Nageswaran, ZurichPublished By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 20, 1997--- ENDS ---

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'PM I.K. Gujral's meeting with Bill Clinton is just another case of vacuous media hype'

"The issue is not so much the rise in the incidents of extortion but the failure of our intelligence and law-enforcing agencies."

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