The article “The lurch of the Lemmings” (Jan. 28) has highlighted the various scams the UPA government is embroiled in. The common man is forced to reconcile with the reality that every emerging scam eclipses the earlier one and with people's memory becoming shorter, the scams will grow inversely proportional — that is, the quicker the people forget or pretend to forget, the scams will grow and become murkier.
We now face the mother of all scams — black money stashed away in foreign banks. It appears that we have reached a saturation point even in corruption as it is difficult to fathom a bigger scam.
D. Nagarjuna,
Secunderabad
Truly enough, the UPA leadership's stance on many core issues is quite suicidal. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's recent ministerial reshuffle was a gimmick. The government is passing through a real testing time and the situation warrants decisive action. With the budget session round the corner, the Opposition seems to have a clear edge.
C.P. Velayudhan Nair,
Kochi
P. Sainath's piece, comparing the UPA government's scams with the light-footed creatures, was brilliant. It is clear that the UPA government faces bleak re-election prospects as people are increasingly getting frustrated. But one wonders — does it really matter? It would appear that the real Lemmings are the poor and the farmers who, deprived of food and shelter, are committing mass suicides everyday, purely by intent.
Varad Seshadri,
Sunnyvale
The brilliant article, together with the cartoon of a blindfolded Pranab Mukherjee looking for black money, made Friday's issue of The Hindu a memorable one. I recall a strong editorial published in The Hindu in 1949, under the heading “A record of failures,” when the Madras Ministry led by O.P. Ramaswamy Reddiar resigned. After 60 years, it is a record of scams!
S.V. Raghavan,
Chennai
Sainath's article, with its dripping sarcasm, wonderfully captured the UPA government's failings. But, I am afraid sensitivity isn't our politicians' cup of tea. That politicians charged with corruption and inefficiency should step down voluntarily will remain wishful thinking.
R. Mathsyali,
New Delhi
The article was biting and enjoyable. While the Congress-led UPA government's performance has been less than spectacular, the most visible alternative — the BJP — seems even more determined to drown itself. It is in the news primarily for its divisive politics in Kashmir and its vehement support for the tainted Yeddyurappa government.
One can only hope that the flurry of scandals and disappointments will lead to a catharsis and, eventually, a more inspired leadership.
Pranav N. Gour,
Gurgaon
UPA-II has fallen into a deep trench and there seems no turning back. But it is not only the UPA government but also the Opposition — perhaps the whole country — that is indulging in Lemming-like behaviour. What we need is reform at the grass root level. People should save the country from the suicidal course.
Bhupender Sehray,
Secunderabad
