Take the first step

The seemingly ‘gently-written article, “A serious hurdle to Swachh Bharat” by Narendar Pani (October 6) offers pertinent suggestions and pointers to make the Clean India drive more effective and less costly. As rightly pointed out, most Indians do not have the involvement and the urge to keep spaces outside their own premises clean. Such spaces often become no man's land, even though they are common to all those in the surrounding area.

The maxim “Prevention is better than cure” should be put into practice so that less effort and time will be required to keep common places neat and tidy. If citizens of the country develop a sense of proprietorship or ownership over public properties such as roads, railways and other infrastructure and national monuments, it will go a long way to keep India clean. This may require an enormous education drive. To start with, why not prominently put up boards and hoardings at vantage points displaying dos and don’ts that would help keep places keen?

CG Kuriakose

Kothamangalam, Kerala

Swachh Bharat is a pragmatic programme. Of course, there will be hurdles because people dislike change, even if it is for our own good. But our Constitution has been sufficiently provided with directives for dealing with nuisance, particularly in public spaces. Violations should be dealt with according to Gandhian principles in the beginning. If they don’t generate the required results, the law should come into effect.

Ravindranath Shetty

Mangalore

Poll couture

With just a week to go for the Assembly elections in Maharashtra and Haryana, things are really hotting up in the election campaigns. Due to the fact that these State elections are the first major test for political parties, they are going all out. Their importance lies more with the impact of the results on national politics than the mandate to govern the States.

If the BJP fares well and forms the governments, it will attribute a win to the ‘undiminished Modi effect’ and hail it as an endorsement of his performance. If it fares badly, the Opposition will declare it as a measure of Modi’s waning popularity and a snub to BJP’s divisive politics.

The break-ups of longstanding ties between the Shiv Sena and the BJP, and the Congress and the NCP over seat-sharing in Maharashtra have shown that the lust for power is more potent than ideological convictions. How far Modi will succeed in weaning Sena voters and keeping the option of post-poll alliance with its erstwhile natural ally open by sparing it from his ‘verbal fire’ is an open question. In a marriage of convenience, even the ‘nationalist’ BJP and Sharad Pawar’s ‘Nationalist’ Congress Party can cobble up an alliance government.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Modi has played the Bal Thackeray card to a nicety by saying that he had immense respect for the late Shiv Sena chief. The move coming close on the heels of the BJP and the Shiv Sena parting ways over seat-sharing in Maharashtra could help heal sore wounds.

Besides, the statement is also seen as a ploy to stitch together an alliance with the Sena post the polls. The BJP and the Shiv Sena shared a long association before the split and it is imperative that they reach a secret understanding to jointly take on the might of the Congress and the NCP. A Modi wave in Maharashtra and Haryana on the lines of the Lok Sabha polls could leave its main rivals flabbergasted.

NJ Ravi Chander

Bangalore

Absurd behaviour

The AIADMK supporters’ behaviour and protests over their Amma’s imprisonment is absurd. I thought only Congressmen behaved like that by opting for Sonia and Rahul to lead them in spite of their horrible show again and again, but the AIADMK beats them in the blind faith department. They should immediately stop their illogical, indecent and irritating behaviour and engage in discussions for their Amma’s release. It is the height of madness to coin slogans like ‘Give Amma & Take Cauvery’.

VS Ganeshan

Bangalore

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