M A I L B A G

Doing a Taslima on Amir Khan

Mr Narendra Modi is urgently needed at the gates of cinema theatres of Vadodara where “Sardar Patel Group” is highhandedly opposing the release of the film “Taare Zameen Par’.

Let me remind Mr Modi that in November 2007 at Botad town of Bhavnagar district he said that “If the Centre lacks the courage to give security to Taslima, then I have the courage. Send Taslima to Gujarat. The youngsters of Gujarat are keen to provide security to her”. Her case is not different from Amir Khan’s case.

We the common people of Gujarat always get disturbed on the issue of violence, whether it is domestic violence within the family, caste violence, communal violence, violence by fascist groups or violence by the State on the working class.

We are also very much disturbed when the viewpoints of a few groups like “Sardar Patel Group” is considered as the viewpoint of more than 5.5 crore Gujaratis. It is time for sensible people not to be silent spectators but to speak out against fascist attitudes of such groups.

Rohit Prajapati, Vadodara

Ill-treating a guest

Over a month after Taslima Nasreen was forced to leave Kolkata, the Central Government has told her that she either continues to stay in Delhi under strict protection or leave the country.

 What type of decision is this? Is this the way a guest should be treated in our country? The Central Government’s decision has hurt the sentiments of Taslima Nasreen.

Taslima’s writing has always reflected the truth. She has always raised her voice against what was wrong in our society. Though a lot of people didn’t try to understand her but we cannot expect such things from the government. The freedom of speech and expression is given to us in our country. If we treat an author like that, how can we say that we have such freedom?

The Central Government must re-think its decision and should be flexible with Taslima. Otherwise, it will present a very bad image of our country before the world.

Shailesh Kumar, Bangalore

Public education

Nobel Laureate Amartya Sen has hinted at the indispensability of providing public education by the government. The amended Right to Education Bill should be implemented soon. The access to schooling is not the only sufficient factor in concretising the Right to Education. The educational infrastructure needs also to be immensely improved and provided.

It has also to be ensured that the investment in education should be made to the tune of at least 6 per cent of GDP. The supervision and inspection of schools has broken down which should be rejuvenated in collaboration with social groups.

This responsibility can be shared by the panchayats and municipal corporations under 73rd and 74th Constitutional amendments. Teacher education programme is in need of overhauling. It should also be considered to create Indian Education Service to plan, administer and manage so huge an educational organisation.

Dr S.Kumar, Panchkula

Back to Tytler

We appreciate your editorial entitled “Back to Tytler" (December 20 ). You have written correctly that 3000 innocent persons have been killed in these riots. Still “there are hundreds of people who have blood on their hands and yet have gone scot- free”.

What is appalling is the filing of an affidavit by the CBI to close this case. It means there is something wrong at the bottom The Congress is not serious about this case. It is good that the judiciary has intervened.

Amar Jit Singh Goraya, Griffith NSW Australia

Rising prices in India I joined Punjab Government service in 1955 with a pay of Rs 80 per month. With my monthly pay I could purchase one tola of gold. I got the post of a clerk, then was promoted to the post of Assistant, then to the post of Head Clerk and then I was promoted to a gazetted post.  I got retirement in 1988 and when I retired, even then I was just in a position to purchase one tola of gold with my pay.  Now I am a retired officer and getting pension and I am surprised to note that even today I am in a position to purchase one tola of gold with my pension. I got so many positions, but my income could not surpass one tola of gold. This is the real position of most employed people of India. Dalip Singh Wasan, Advocate, Patiala