This refers to the edit, ‘Get priorities right’ (July 23). This government has another four full years in office and the Congress party cannot wash away all the upcoming Parliament sessions. The government has made it clear there will not be any resignations. Congress should choose to debate and expose the ruling dispensation in the House and leave the rest to the people of this country.
CR Arun
The stalling of Parliament costs the exchequer, but our leaders hardly care. It is disappointing that most of our leaders forget to pay respect to Parliament and have not learnt to maintain decorum and discipline in the House. They only hanker after power. The behaviour of the Opposition is no different from how the ruling party behaved when they were in the Opposition. The present dispensation must think over it seriously and find an amicable solution to allow Parliament to function smoothly.
Jayant Mukherjee
Kolkata
Political management
The editorial and the piece, ‘Mockery of democracy’ by R Srinivasan (From the Viewsroom, July 23) could easily pass for a discussion paper on political management in the Indian context. Post-Independence, parliamentary democracy in India started off with practically no opposition.
Dissenting voices within the Indian National Congress were branded socialists or communists — they performed the role of the opposition. Later on, the evolution of opposition in the States and at the national level was not very healthy as the formulation was dependent on the egos of leaders, or certain economic or geographical or linguistic interests. Time is running out for the political leadership to re-invent the role of the Opposition, which needs to do the same amount of study and research on issues concerning governance as is expected from the treasury benches. The present strategy of being selective on issues and ending every episode with disruption of the legislative process can do irreparable damage to the system, which was put in place with great sacrifice.
The AAP-LG confrontation is not the making of Kejriwal or Modi. It is the result of one individual’s refusal to take cognisance of the changes in Delhi during the last couple of years. If he still doesn’t wake up to realities, the Centre is duty-bound to help him come out of his slumber and force the Lieutenant Governor to allow the Kejriwal government to function within its political and constitutional mandate. Sooner rather than later, the relationship issue between the two governments should be resolved amicably through consensus .
MG Warrier
Mumbai
All that GST hype
There is much hype in the news that GST will relieve business houses from various taxes and lead to simplification of taxes too. It is hoped that like other taxes it will not lead to problems later on thanks to amendments and illogical provisions like a high rate of GST (fix it not more than 10 per cent); it should be guaranteed in the GST Act that rates shall not be increased for at least 10 years. Also, small business houses should be exempt from it. The basic exemption should be linked to inflationary index — suitable revisions of basic exemption limits should be taken care in the GST Act. To boost the economy in the long run, these measures are a must.
Mahesh Kapasi
New Delhi
No worries
‘Artful dodgers, these bank fraudsters’ by KP Shashidharan (July 23) is informative. As rightly pointed out the delay in unearthing the fraud and subsequent reporting hinders timely investigation. However the issue of master circulars by the RBI requires clarification. It is stated that RBI issued almost 117 circulars in a week’s time ( July 1 to 6). It is customary for the RBI to issue master circulars on all important banking matters on July 1 every year, hence one will see so many master circulars on this date. There is nothing alarming about it, though the increase of frauds does call for a fresh look and action.
M Sadashiva Rao
Mangaluru
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