It is an enlightened opinion that a democratically elected government cannot claim or exercise arbitrary powers to commit acts that amount to gross violations of human rights and fail to stand judicial scrutiny. As a democracy, we cannot continue to have a law like the AFSPA that allows the armed forces to trample on the right to life, even on the presumed grounds of ‘national interest’ or ‘greater common good’. Human lives are not expendable for the state to assert its authority in a troubled region. The inviolability of the right to life must be upheld and safeguarded under all circumstances. The case for the repeal of this colonial era law based on the principle that might is right for which Irom Sharmila has been on hunger strike for the last 14 years in Manipur is strong.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Atrocious attitude

The NDA government’s decision to pull the rug from under the Governors’ feet is nothing short of atrocious. The latest casualty is K. Sankaranarayanan who has resigned following the Centre’s move to transfer him to Mizoram from Maharashtra. He is the ninth governor to step down since the Modi government took over. Modi said in his Independence Day speech that he would like to take everyone into confidence. But the shake-up of governors suggests otherwise.

NJ Ravi Chander

Bangalore

The appointment of governors and lieutenant governors has been highly political from the beginning. Most of the governors are political agents of the Central government irrespective of the party in power. Instead of helping State governments achieve their goals, governors are hurdles. The Government wants to get rid of colonial rules, it must abolish the post. In the case of internal emergency and law and order, the chief justice can look after the State’s problems and act as the Centre’s pointsman. The Raj Bhavans have become retirement homes and rehabilitation centres for politically isolated senior political leaders.

A Prabaharan

Tiruchirappalli

All gas

This refers to the article “The game’s up for natural gas” by Pratim Ranjan Bose (August 25). As the article clearly establishes, the fact is that at $8 we will be giving the highest returns to the producers of natural gas in the world. So let’s not punish this nation by increasing the price of gas just to give the world’s highest returns to its producers. When we are rationalising our subsidies to the poor and middle class, are we right in subsidising the big corporations for the risks they take for their shareholders and promoters? The logic of the ONGC benefiting the most from the gas price hike is wrong. The people of this country own the company and it cannot make more than a certain extent of returns as it has social obligations to fulfil. We need to reform Coal India by introducing more competition in the mining sector. We need to invite companies who have the best technologies to extract coal from and help our power plants. Let’s tell the gas business community that only great returns will not sustain an industry; we need proven resources that can last for at least 25 years. Coal has these advantages and clean coal technologies should be encouraged.

CR Arun

Email

Poor standards

President Pranab Mukerjee has bemoaned the fact that the standards of higher education in the country are abysmally low. As rightly observed by him all the Nobel Prize winners of Indian origin after C V Raman won the distinction while working overseas. They are staggering and lamentable cases of brain drain. If corporates lend a land, India can have learning institutions measuring up to international standards.

CG Kuriakose

Kothamangalam, Kerala

Grow taxes

If we want the country to grow on all fronts, there should be strict tax rules. Whoever comes under the tax bracket should be taxed through proper means. There is nothing wrong in imposing more taxes on the rich as long as proper and uniform rules are followed.

P Senthil Saravana Durai

Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu

What’s wrong with FDI?

India is dependent on developed countries for crucial defence requirements. As a result India is losing huge amounts of foreign exchange which widens the current account deficit. We have to look forward if at all political parties desire development, growth and investment, and employment opportunities for the younger generation. Many States have been demanding financial packages, which the Centre can provide only if revenue collection goes up. What is wrong in inviting FDI? Such a proposal will be beneficial in all respects. What is required is positive thinking.

Jagdip H Vaishanav

Mumbai

Right to be concerned

The President’s concern about the low standards of higher education in the country is not a misapprehension. Maintaining high standards in higher education should be USP of educational institutions. The standard of teaching and practical training should be commensurate with the hefty fees and capitation fees managements collect from students. The students need to be trained in such a way that after completing their education they should not find it difficult to understand the job assigned.

In the absence of requisite standards in higher education despite having a large number of premier institutions, the fact that they do not find a place among the top 200 world class universities does not speak well for our system of education.

HP Murali

Bangalore

Price is an issue

This refers to the news item “Most IPO investors miss out on the party” (August 25). Though the reason for poor return on investments on the IPOs by retail investors can be attributed to the poor state of the industrial and commercial sectors during the past few years the price at which the IPOs were issued also contributes to the state of the poor return. Most of the IPOs were priced with a high premium and when the performance of the unit does not match the price at which the share was brought to the market its trading gets severely affected. This in turn reflects on the price quoted in the market.

The poor industrial and commercial situation does affect the profitability of the units which in turn reflects on the prices being quoted in the market. To avoid this state of affairs the premium attached to the price when IPOs are issued should be scrutinised by the related authorities to see whether the premium is justified. Continuing the present state of affairs would seriously affect both the investors and the economic situation.

TR Anandan

Coimbatore

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