Begin a dialogue
No words can console the families of the paramilitary force men and commandos who have laid down their lives in the line of duty in Sukma. Even if they are soldiers, they cannot be treated as gun fodder forever. This has to end soon, a matter which is in the hands of the Centre and the States concerned. The best way to stop this unending violence is through dialogue and nothing else. Local, political and community leaders along with ‘genuine’ NGOs can help convince the Maoists about the futility of violence and the Centre can initiate the process at the earliest. No civil society can ignore these tragedies and pass on treating these as a mere law and order issue.
Rettavayal S. Krishnaswamy,
Chennai
Inducements seized
It may be too late in the day, but can all the leaders of the political parties in Tamil Nadu assure us that their parties have not bribed voters with cash and kind? It is evident that ethics is a non-existent word as far as parties are concerned (Tamil Nadu, “Seizures stand at ₹428.46 crore”, April 5). God alone knows the value of the cash and valuables and items which have not been seized. The public will never know the truth or even who was behind all this. It is strange that no political candidate has been suspended for any of the seizures or action taken against any political party.
S. Parthasarathy,
Chennai
The chief matters
In India, with perennial elections of every description, the quality of governance and its politics is disproportionately placed in the hands of its Election Commission. By its very construct, the Election Commission of India has been left to the ability, wisdom and innovation of the main person at its helm. Only some leave impressions, positive or negative, deeper than others and an attrition of public faith which reflects more on the individual than on the organisation. The CEC, in 1992, had disqualified 14,000 potential candidates for public office and on mass protests by the political groups, cancelled elections in Bihar and Punjab, to then elevate public faith. Its deferring the Gujarat elections in 2017 vis-à-vis the election dates of Himachal Pradesh, the disqualification of 20 MLAs of Delhi or issuing show cause notice only to Opposition leaders for campaign code violations, significantly dimmed its halo. The pattern seems to continue in circa 2021, much to our dismay. In the absence of collective political will or till we get no-nonsense, tough-as-nails ECI chief, prayer is a lone recourse.
R. Narayanan,
Navi Mumbai
