Jumbo cabinet
Wednesday’s massive expansion of the Union cabinet will be remembered more for those who were given the marching orders, some of them being the most visible and vocal faces of the Modi government. While quite a few of those shown the door were undoubtedly non-performers, performance alone does not seem to have been the criterion that influenced the Prime Minister’s mind. Non-performing Ministers continue in the cabinet, the most noticeable being the Finance Minister. Also, can the Prime Minister take credit for success in managing the pandemic while sacking the Ministers concerned for their incompetence? The Prime Minister alone has to answer this apparent contradiction. He has also deviated from his oft-repeated doctrine: minimum government-maximum governance, given the mega-sized cabinet.
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
The Prime Minister has targeted non-performance with the removal of key senior Ministers who probably basked in the glory of invincibility. India now has a more inclusive Council of Ministers. Hopefully the inexperience of the new Ministers will give direction to new ideas to realise Mr. Narendra Modi’s vision.
Kanak Rajan Nambiar,
Varam, Kannur, Kerala
A cabinet expansion in the middle of the Government’s second term has surprised many. That high-profile Ministers who have played a key role since the beginning of the NDA’s rule, have now lost their jobs is intriguing. The Government has also tried to send the right signals in its representation to the educated, the young, women and the socially disadvantaged. But in the team where Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the sole leader, the fact is there will hardly be any difference in functioning with the new formations.
Dr. D.V.G.Sankararao,
Nellimarla, Andhra Pradesh
In what can be termed a bold initiative and well-timed move, the reshuffle will augur well for the nation. It could have twin benefits: the senior guard would really have to be on its toes, and this is an opportunity for freshers to work on a platform that has been set.
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
Dilip Kumar
It is a matter of honour and pride for both Dilip Kumar and India that he is the only Indian actor to receive the “Nishan-e-Imtiaz”, one of Pakistan’s highest awards. As reported by the thespian later, during the Kargil war, he was under pressure to return it. His meeting with then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to seek his advice was the turning point Mr. Vajpayee declared: “There is no doubt about Dilip’s patriotism and commitment to nation... He has received the Award at an individual level. It’s his will to keep it or return it. No one can pressurise him.” This single incident shows the greatness of Mr. Vajpayee as a leader and a human being. One shudders to imagine the situation had it occurred now.
Beant Singh Bedi,
Mohali, Punjab
Wimbledon exit
Being an ardent fan of Roger Federer, it was painful to see the legend bow out of this year’s Wimbledon, and in the quarter finals. What made it worse was his defeat in straight sets. We hope this does not affect him and make him hang up his racket. It could be a clear path now for Novak Djokovic to march on and soar in the Olympics and U.S. Open.
N. Mahadevan,
Chennai
The “King of grass” was beaten convincingly, though it was an occasion when even his opponent could not believe his eyes. For millions of his fans the world over, the immediate reaction was whether this would spell his retirement. Many of us wish that he bounces back and returns to his favourite turf to make memories turn green for him and his fans.
A.P. Thiruvadi,
Chennai
Federer’s shocking defeat is an aberration in his illustrious career. Many of us second what a fan pleaded during the match: “One more year, please!” Will there be another appearance and one more title win for Federer at Wimbledon? Only he can answer this.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
