Letters to the editor dated July 28, 2020

The escalation of tensions between the US and China has now reached a point of downgrading of their diplomatic ties. Following the decision of the US to close the Chinese consulate in Houston, Beijing, in an act of retaliation, had ordered the closure of the US embassy in Chengdu in south-western China.

By accusing China for the outbreak of coronovirus and calling for an alliance of democracies to counter the threat of China and its hegemonic designs, the Trump administration had upped the ante and made it clear that its foreign policy vis-a-vis China will never be the same again. China is a ruthless and a powerful entity and no containment strategy is likely to yield any desired results

With the Trump administration underlining the importance of the US and India working together to counter the emerging challenges from China, the response of the Indian government must be well-calibrated and driven by national interest.

Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu

This refers to the editorial ‘Deja vu’ (July 28). The ubiquitous balance sheet for a stakeholder is the beacon to investment. The CFO of a company is merely an examinee and cannot be his own evaluator. It is time the auditors elevated themselves to be the guarantors of credibility. Leading auditor firm Arthur Anderson touched the nadir of infamy in its Enron accounts. The scandal obliterated the firm and common investors lost their life’s savings.

Globally, policies and oversight were then overhauled and yet we continue to have a Satyam, IL&FS and a CCD. The ICAI needs to be revamped and reinvented and made transparent. The government must put in place mechanisms to oversee major audit firms and the RBI needs to be more prescient and better staffed.

Navi Mumbai

This is with reference to ‘Fallouts of the Rajasthan political crisis’ (July 28). When politicians are not loyal to their own parties, how can one expect them to be loyal to the country or its people?

The functioning of political parties has been exposed many a times and any further exposure will be an another example of their greed for power. Strict laws and regulation are a dire need to stop defection and the mockery of democracy.

In the present context, the biggest loser is the Congress party. It is the prime responsibility of its top leadership to keep all members motivated and satisfied and in case there is any rift, it must resolve them then and there, rather than ignoring it.

Jaipur

The suggestion to we abolish the “useless office of the Governor” seems to be like throwing baby out with bath water. The role of the Governor is intended to ensure constitutional sanctity and unity of our country. It is true that the institution of Governor has shown itself to be woefully inadequate for this task and will continue to be so in the future.

Nonetheless, it does not absolve us of the responsibility of taking remedial measures. One such remedy could be to appoint only retired Supreme Court or High Court judges as Governors. Of course, it presupposes that such a move shall be preceded by a merit-based, transparent system in judicial appointments. Rather than abolish institutions, we must establish new ways in which they can function so as to benefit future generations.

Chennai

Apropos ‘India on right track in curtailing China’ (July 28), China’s border provocation at Ladakh caused causalities to both sides, and negotiations led to a tentative ‘go back’ move. Yet, China has a strong foothold in the Galwan Valley, which means India needs to be ever ready militarily. China has both land and marine (South China Sea) disputes with almost all its neighbours. Strengthening our relations with Taiwan to develop our electronics industry will be a positive move.

Sivakasi

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