With his uncalled-for remarks, Justice AR Dave has exceeded the limits of punctiliousness. His observation that if he had been the dictator of India, he would have introduced the Bhagvad Gita in Class 1 is unbefitting of a Supreme Court judge. His advocacy of reverting to “ancient traditions and texts” amounts to undoing all the gains from modern liberal thought and hard-fought struggles. “Ancient traditions” included ‘sati’, ‘untouchability’, ‘manual scavenging’, ‘bonded labour’, ‘child marriage’ and a host of other social evils which cannot be re-introduced to revive the “golden age”.

There would have been no room to suspect his secular credentials if he had included the Quran, the Bible and other sacred books in his ‘prescription’ to fight violence and terrorism.

G David Milton

Kanyakumari, Tamil Nadu

Poor example

It is ironical that the top executive of a nationalised bank is caught allegedly receiving illegal gratification to grant credit extension to two private firms. Corruption at higher levels percolates down to the lower levels resulting in the common man suffering the most. Is it not time the worthies realised that the law will follow wrong-doers like a shadow and catch up with them one day?

HP Murali

Bangalore

How much, how long?

This is with reference to the article, “Why is Flipkart keeping it private?” by Lokeshwarri SK (August 4). Why a company which is yet to make profits still attracts so many PEs is beyond understanding. Sachin Bansal is right that Flipkart is not ready for the primary market as yet. But when its promoters’ stake is reduced to a single digit and PEs are not long-term investors then it will be a serious situation.

As of now it seems that the promoters have made enough money and don’t have a long-term interest in the company. But for how long will it keep chasing the likes of Amazon?

Bal Govind

Noida

Make it happen

The article on financial inclusion using post offices, “Putting the poor on the list” by Charan Singh and others (August 4) is a well-argued proposition. But its implementation will entail cumbersome procedures. Banks and post offices have to think out of the box and shed their inhibitions to make it happen.

It is a staggering revelation that nearly half the households and close to 90 per cent of the villages in India are unbanked. It is time the RBI stepped in and asked banks to address this glaring omission. It is pertinent to note that the new generation private sector banks are tactfully keeping off opening rural branches as they know which side the bread is buttered. That’s why the central bank must intervene purposefully.

CG Kuriakose

Kothamangalam, Kerala

Timely warning

This refers to the report “India refuses to budge on farm subsidies, scuttles WTO deal” (August 2). This is no occasion to celebrate the ‘successful stalling of a wrong move’ or lamenting over delay in ‘clinching a deal’ which would have changed the global business environment.

The developed countries had successfully persuaded the Indian elite to believe that subsidy is a bad word, while they themselves practised it. The daily destruction of unsold stock in Holland’s flower market to the destruction of food stock and issue of food coupons in the US involved elements of subsidy.

The Indian stance on the issue is a timely warning to India’s own policy think tank and the advocates of ‘globalisation at any cost’. Thanks to the vision of those who took over governance from the British, we have a strong foundation supported by a Constitution which has stood the test of time, a public sector which can shoulder much more responsibilities and institutions like the judiciary, the Election Commission, the RBI and the CAG which have withstood external pressures. The Government must muster the moral courage to open a healthy debate on rationalisation and transparency in asset accumulation and cross-subsidisation issues.

MG Warrier

Mumbai

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