This is with reference to the editorial, ‘Beyond symbolism’ (January 27). The visit has proved to be much beyond symbolism and more fruitful than expected. The end of a seven-year deadlock over the civil nuclear agreement, the defence technology transfer initiative, and Obama’s comments making the US stand clear on terror, on India’s role in Afghanistan and in the Asia-Pacific region are significant.

On the economic front, Obama announcing $4 billion of new initiatives to boost trade and investment as well as jobs in India have opened up new sources of financing for social development ventures. His comment at the business summit, “Let’s make it possible for a young woman in rural India to start a business with a partner in America that will change both their lives”, marked his vision for India. Modi’s diplomacy has instilled a new warmth in Indo-US relations. Now he must take due notice of Obama’s observation about the procedural difficulties which make business in India difficult, and move fast on economic and structural reforms.

MC Joshi

Lucknow

Why is China unhappy?

Piqued by the visit of Barack Obama’s India visit, China has expressed its unhappiness over the inclusion of India in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSGChina has described the visit as just symbolic. Symbolic or serious, why should it agitate China so much?

Former defence minister George Fernandes often expressed his apprehensions over China, drawing flak from the opposition parties of his time. The present attitude confirms what Fernandes said. China’s growing proximity with Pakistan does not augur well for a healthy friendship between India and China.

KV Seetharamaiah

Hassan, Karnataka

Hardly a breakthrough

The so-called breakthrough in the Indo-US civil nuclear deal is a deft stroke of trickery. Even so, the Indian negotiators must be credited with finding a way of circumventing the liability law. It involves a risk management insurance pool with a liability package running into crores of rupees contributed domestically to provide cover to US suppliers and operators of nuclear reactors and an escalation in the prices of nuclear fuel and equipment got from US firms.

Couched in fuzzy terms, the understanding amounts to India’s taxpayers being conned into believing that it is in India’s interest. Even as India apparently sticks to the letter of the liability law, it consents to undo the spirit of the said law. By this “indirect waiver” of the liability law, the Modi government has made an abject surrender to American interests under unstated duress. It cannot be now ‘whitewashed’ by hailing it as a ‘significant breakthrough’ at the Modi-Obama summit meeting. The new agreement’ barely binds US suppliers and operators of nuclear reactors to accept liability and pay compensation in the event of an accident.

The government has shown that it can be bent to the imperial superpower’s will. The dropping of the demand for the tracking of nuclear materials is not a big concession or favour since the inspection by IAEA dominated by the West to make sure that supplies stay in the civilian sector is as good as monitoring by the US. The advocacy for a nuclear-free world made by Obama and others is to be dealt with differently. The immunity to US nuclear giants from lawsuits under Indian laws bears out how the deal — the centrepiece of transformed Indo-US relations — is weighed against India. We are not on an equal footing with the US. As a nation of 1.2 billion plus we should be equal partners.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Iconic individual

The death of RK Laxman removes from the scene an iconic cartoonist and illustrator. For over five decades Laxman kept the ‘Grand old lady of Boribunder’ young at heart with his impeccable brand of humour as the Common Man with his signature checked jacket, dhoti, Gandhi glasses and twin tufts of hair watched life and politics go by. Probably it was this penchant for humour that made this nonagenarian live a rich and fruitful life.

NJ Ravi Chander

Bengaluru

Hartal’s own country

In 2013, the Supreme Court in a letter to the Union government and all State governments sought explanations about the extent to which action had been taken for implementing an order of the court banning all hartals and bandhs in the country. In 2009 the Supreme Court had banned hartals and bandhs and issued concrete directions asking for compensation from parties indulging in hartals. Whatever the clarification by the governments on this issue the hartal observance goes unabated. Today, in Kerala normal life was disrupted by the hartal called by the BJP demanding resignation of State Finance Minister KM Mani in the wake of the graft charges against him. The State government has declared a holiday for educational institutions. Thus Kerala has become ‘Hartal’s own country’ once again. But the more surprising reality is: Justice P Sadasivam, who issued orders against hartal, is the governor of the Sate at present. When will our court orders take a more redolent route?

KA Solaman

Alappuzha, Kerala

A lot to gain

This refers to the editorial ‘Beyond symbolism’ (January 27). The visit by US President Barack Obama has opened up a lot of opportunities for India, which has just 2 per cent market share of US imports and just 1 per cent of their exports. Sky is the limit when you look at these numbers in our bilateral trade. In the past 15 years, India has invested $17 billion in the US and they have invested $12 billion here. Look at the potential of foreign direct investment, it is a huge opportunity. As the editorial argues, this visit is just a beginning and a lot needs to be done at the official level to tap the huge untapped potential in our bilateral trade and investments.

CR Arun

E-mail

Be friends

This refers to “Naidu, Rao ‘At Home’ together” (January 27). The chief ministers of Andhra Pradesh and the Telangana coming together to celebrate 69th Republic Day of the country at Hyderabad was a fascinating spectacle. The chief ministers need to iron out the differences.

Both states have to start from the scratch and this being so, apportioning the wealth and the bountiful natural resources in a manner of ‘give and take’ could keep them in good stead instead of nursing the bitterness or making mountain out of the mole hill.

HP Murali

Bengaluru

Spend sensibly

US President Barack Obama has announced investments and loans worth $4 billion for India. Now it’s up to us to make the optimum use of foreign money; we must use it for accelerating economic growth in the country. Also, one must not be oblivious to the fact that the government has to repay the loans and for which the country needs to work hard and become sound in all parameters of economic growth.

S Ramakrishnasayee

Ranipet, Tamil Nadu

Worth a thousand pics

Legendary cartoonist RK Laxman embodied the hopes, aspirations and troubles of Indians for over half a century. He always cared for the plight of common man through his immortal cartoons. Though his Common Man was always silent, the intended message was very loud and clear. Laxman will always be remembered for his early morning dose of laughter. If a picture is worth a thousand words, a cartoon is worth a thousand pictures. The nation will definitely miss him. May his soul rest in peace.

TS Karthik

Chennai

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