M A I L B A G

Economic growth should be inclusive

The article, “Pitfalls of Nehruvian model” (Perspective, Nov 11) by Dr H.K. Manmohan Singh pertinently presents the functioning and results of the mixed economy approach (Nehruvian model) and market economy approach towards the Indian economy.

No doubt, Jawaharlal Nehru adopted the mixed economy approach to utilise the country’s material and non-material resources by mobilising both the private and public sectors of the economy to eliminate poverty. As a result, the country was able to accomplish various infrastructural and institutional projects.

However, with the passage of time, corruption, inefficiency, wastage, negative trade-unionism, nepotism, red tape, vested interests, unhealthy political interference and many other ills played their nefarious roles to fail the Nehruvian model. The country became near-bankrupt in 1991 when its foreign exchange reserves were sufficient for a fortnight only.

SUDESH KUMAR SHARMA, Kapurthala

Chemical pollution

I read Prof Satwinder K Mann’s article, “Strategy to check chemical pollution” (Sunday Oped, Oct 21). She says that though doses of pesticides, weedicides and insecticides are recommended to no-residual-effect limit, the use of such poison for storage of commodities or for termites is reckless.

This is either due to people’s ignorance of the damage from these chemicals or they are deliberately indifferent. The only way out is a controlled and regulated sale of pesticides, no matter how colossal the losses are.

NARINDER SINGH BHANGU, Nawanshahr

Divine language I read the review “All is nothing but God” by Kuldip Dhiman (Spectrum, Oct 14), and a subsequent letter by Chaman Lal Korpal. I agree with the latter that most of us have a scanty knowledge of the divine language Sanskrit. It has become a neglected language. I have something to say regarding the origin and importance of Sanskrit in our spiritual life. It is a fact that man is a microcosm (small world) in the macrocosm (large world). In India, we have a very rich spiritual literature penned by the rishis. According to them, there are six chakras in body of the man which are shaped somewhat like a lotus and the number of distinct parts are spoken of as petals. All these centres or chakras have their own distinct functions. These 52 petals correspond to the 52 letters of the Sanskrit alphabet and each gives a sound corresponding to one of the Sanskrit letters. These sounds can be heard by any person whose finer sense of hearing has been awakened. These 52 sounds comprise all the sounds which can possibly be made by man. This is how the Sanskrit alphabet came into existence and the language called as Dev Bhasha. P.S. BHATTI, Jalandhar

Robust democracy

M. Rajivlochan’s review (“Story of free India,” Spectrum, Oct 14) of India After Gandhi: The History of the World’s Largest Democracy by Ramachandra Guha made interesting reading.

India survives because even after Partition, India remained what it had always been, a multi-religious and multi-cultural country. It is India’s pluralism and composite culture that gives Indian democracy its robustness and longevity.

While arguments divide nations, India is united by their variety. In India, differences are the strongest safeguards against break-up.

The world’s largest as well as noisiest democracy is indeed a celebration of differences — religious, cultural, linguistic, regional, political and ideological — and it is these differences that keep her alive and kicking.

GAURAV JULKA, Ferozepore

Fathers in films

“In the name of the father” by M.L Dhawan (Spectrum, Oct 14) was interesting. Mughal-e-Azam and Shakti, no doubt, stand out for the outstanding performances of Prithviraj Kapoor, Dilip Kumar and Amitabh Bachchan. Another memorable movie is Shaheed (1952) where the father, played by Chander Mohan in the role of a judge, and the son Dilip Kumar playing a revolutionary, come face to face in many situations. Similarly, in Anarkali (1953) Mubarak who played Akbar to Pradeep Kumar as Salim was very impressive with his baritone.

Another outstanding performance was that of Motilal as a scheming father in Anari. B.R Chopra’s Waqt (1965) was a milestone in father and sons’ relationship and Balraj Sahni as the father took his acting to great heights during the court scenes. Namak Haram had Amitabh pitted against his industrialist father Om Shivpuri as their views on rights of the workers clashed. Rajesh Khanna gave a memorable performance in his comeback film Avtaar where he had to deal with his selfish sons.

H.S. SANDHU, Panchkula