The article “Are IT people the fall guys?” (Open Page, May 22) was insensitive. Although Meera Gopalakrishnan begins by objecting to a comparison between farmers and IT professionals, most of her opinions are implied comparisons. Consider, for instance, the sentence “We also have loans like housing loan, car loan ...” Equating a farmer's loan of Rs.80,000 (which he could not pay) to an IT employee's car loan is arrogant.
As for the list of IT employees' woes — traffic jams, high rentals, double charge from autowallahs, etc. — I can't help wondering how frivolous they are compared with the plight of a farmer.
J. Jayadeep,
Chennai
The world can do without IT (it did till about three decades ago), not without farmers. Who is going to put food on our table? Globally, the average age of farmers is over 50. I worry about what will happen once they retire.
R. Srinath,
Theni
A farmer does not commit suicide because he enjoys it. In regions like Vidharbha, farmers do not have even the basic facilities. Banks prefer to give car loans to IT professionals on a lesser rate of interest than to farmers for seeds and other farm inputs.
Akshay A. Chougule,
Belgaum
I have been working in the IT industry for eight months and am well acquainted with the perform-or-perish attitude. The notion that IT guys are rich is misplaced. If they have a handsome package, it can only mean they are sweating it out. They are paid according to their worth and not a penny more. In return, they pay a very heavy price — their personal life — by slogging for almost 12 hours a day. No amount of money can compensate that, surely.
Mrinalini,
Ramagundam
It is not only the IT guys who slog. All professionals do. Take the case of a bank officer. His day never ends. That IT professionals could not repay their loans during recession reflects their poor planning. And who asked them to spend two hours on travel? All IT majors are located on the periphery of major cities and decent accommodation, I am sure, is available nearby.
Agriculture is the backbone of our country. Labour shortage has become so acute that even mechanisation has not proved to be economical. Ms Gopalakrishnan should visit interior villages to understand the farmers' problems. The day is not far when we may not get food.
T. Viswanathan,
Kumbakonam
I am a research scientist at a foreign university, and most of my waking hours are spent at my workplace. We actually spend 10-12 hours a day at the laboratory. Research work is painstakingly difficult, and highly frustrating and depressing. Millions of scientists across the globe have been working round the clock for several years, yet we haven't managed to successfully combat the thousands of diseases that plague mankind. We have no social life to speak of. The bottom line is this: IT guys are paid well, they should stop complaining and start appreciating what they have!
Meera B.K.,
Bangalore
The IT people can't shop in super bazaars and chain stores, and then complain that they pay double charge. A population lives because of the toiling farmers, who do not enjoy creature comforts during the weekends. The well-heeled class has the benefit of medical insurance and better social security than those at the margins in the rural areas.
Farm loan waivers are announced rarely, but the high income earners get one benefit or another in the annual budget. There is nothing wrong in using their tax monies for farmers' welfare.
V. Viswanath,
Kurnool
When the IT sector boomed, politicians encouraged it and mobilised investment with much fanfare. But once the industry went down and employees were laid off in thousands, no one came to their support. But they did not seek government subsidies. On the other hand, farmers are politicians' favourites — not out of genuine concern but because they form a huge vote bank. They are given loan waivers. Whether they grow food crops or commercial crops, they get the same treatment.
Prabhakar Jonnalagadda,
Hyderabad
