Income issues

This refers to ‘The UBI’s time may have come’ by Madan Sabnavis (February 10). The Universal Basic Income amount should be unconditional but limited in value. This is because India is still a poor country in which many people experiencing abject poverty do not have a half-day meal also. The UBI should be such that it provides for the physiological needs of all — food, clothing and shelter. However, it should not be so high that the motivation to looking for another source of earning becomes inoperative.

YG Chouksey

Pune

UP is not up

This refers to ‘Uttar Pradesh remains backward as ever’ by M Ramesh (February 10). There is nothing new in the fact that UP is as backward as ever. In fact the backwardness may have increased during the tenure of ‘articulate and suave’ and ‘educated’ CM Akhilesh Yadav. That said, he may still come out as a winner in the present elections in the state due to the clever drama enacted by his father and team.

K Ashok Kumar

Kolkata

The most populous State in the country which sends large contingent of MPs to Parliament continues to suffer on all fronts. Perhaps the State becomes ‘uttam’ if the electorate gives full majority to mainstream political parties such as the BJP or the Congress, as regional and parochial parties lack national outlook.

HP Murali

Bengaluru

The leaders of Uttar Pradesh should realise that they can play communal politics only temporarily and people of the nation are watching closely the developments in the State, which sends maximum members to the Parliament. The days of communal politics are gone and people especially the youngsters are looking for change.

Veena Shenoy

Thane, Maharashtra

Don’t making it taxing

This is with reference to the editorial ‘Tax and transparency’ (February 10). You are right in saying that the changes to income tax laws give taxmen more discretionary powers to conduct raids, but these must be used judiciously. The insertion of new explanation in the Budget to exempt tax officials from disclosing reasons of raids to any body significantly reduces the accountability of tax officials conducting raids at their first point of contact with the public. Another new clause allows the officials to seize any property of the assessee during a search and hold it for six months is reasonable which prevents the assessee from disposing the property during the raid. But the officials must ensure that all tax raids are conducted only on the guilty. Otherwise this can result in undue impediments to honest businessmen.

T Hanumantha Rao

Bheemavaram, AP

The editorial clearly reflects the impact of the amendments in Sec 132 of the income tax Act. The changes, even though it was well-intended, can cause pain and agony to the honest tax payers unless the official has access to accurate data; otherwise it can add to the backlog of case archives.

Vikram Sundaramurthy

Alapakkam, Chennai

Pains of power transition in TN

That which has sprouted through fire does not wither in heat – a saying that can be justifiably applied to VK Sasikala in the present context of political turmoil in Tamil Nadu. Despite the all-round blitzkrieg on her, Sasikala has shown no sign of relenting in her political fight for inheriting Amma’s legacy.

For Chinnamma it is a baptism by fire. The forces opposed to her make all possible attempts to portray her as a power-hungry politician without acknowledging the near-total support of her party MLAs to her.

The “social identity and background” of those siding with Panneerselvam lays bare the caste angle to the ongoing struggle for power in Chennai. True, we all savour the political potboiler. But the constitutional crisis looming over the Sate with the Governor refusing to step in to discharge his constitutional duty is worrying.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Send your letters by email to bleditor@thehindu.co.in or by post to ‘Letters to the Editor’, The Hindu Business Line, Kasturi Buildings, 859-860, Anna Salai, Chennai 600002.

COMMENT NOW