L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Towards better US-Iran ties

H K Dua in the Editor’s Column: “With love from Obama: Will US, Iran be on speaking terms?” (March 27) has critically analysed the US-Iran relations and the implications and limitations of the goodwill gesture made by the US President, Mr Barack Obama, on the occasion of Nauroz, the Iranian New Year Day.

The US President is not only trying to end a 30-year-old stalemate in the relations between the US and Iran but has also fulfilled his pre-poll promise to engage with Iran and break the ice between the two countries. It is a clear departure from his predecessor’s foreign policy who described Iran as a member of an Axis of Evil.

Though, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, has not reacted positively, his words “you change, our behaviour will change” should be taken as an assurance on the part of Iran.

LAJPAT RAI GARG, Chandigarh

Exporting terror

The news-report “ISI ‘helping’ Taliban spread terror in Afghanistan” (March 27) by Ashish Kumar Sen may be news to the Americans but South Asians, especially Indians, have sensed all along that Pakistan has been playing a double game to extract whatever money and war material they could get from the US.

Actually, terrorism has become Pakistan’s biggest export. This is really unfortunate because in the end terrorism may devour Pakistan itself.

AMIR C TUTEJA, Washington DC, USA

RTI: the complaints

The editorial “RTI overload” (March 25) has rightly put forth the failure of the Centre and states in dealing with RTI-related complaints. One fails to understand why CIC posts are lying vacant for such long periods.

It is not necessary to accommodate retired bureaucrats for the purpose. Also they may be partial in deciding the cases pertaining to their previous offices.

Fresh appointments should be made to fill the vacant posts. Those who seek information must be provided the same at the earliest. Otherwise, the very purpose of the RTI Act will be defeated.

P N GUPTA, Sangrur

Punish rapists

For how long shall we keep on reading news like “Principal, teachers rape deaf & dumb” or “Mentally challenged tribal girl raped”, both reported on March 19? After such incidents happen, an enquiry commission is set up.

By the time the culprit is punished, the victim has already suffered gravely. Why such crimes occur so frequently? Punishment should be so severe that in future no one dares to commit such heinous crimes.

ASHA, Nangal

Avarice-ridden IPL

The BCCI’s decision to move the second edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 cricket tournament to South Africa clearly reflects the money power of big industrialists, cine-stars and cricketers.

Moreover, when IPL had signed a Rs 8,200 crore broadcast agreement with the WSG and the MSM, it is understandable that both the BCCI and IPL commissioner Lalit Modi would not have been interested in rescheduling the matches.

One wonders, when our cricket-crazy fans will realise that the BCCI hardly ever cares for them. But the big question is: should we not teach a lesson to the cricket administrators, industrialists, film star, and cricketers who think that they can buy anything with money?

BIDYUT KUMAR CHATTERJEE, Faridabad

Friends!

Uttam Sengupta’s middle “Friends” (March 19) evocatively conveyed how the
two leaders, Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav and Mr Ram Vilas Paswan, have only posed
to be friends.

Still as a humble student of Indian politics, I hold both leaders in high esteem
for their contribution to the development of economically backward sections of
Indian society.

SANJEEV GAUR, Amritsar

Hate politics

The editorial “Prosecute Varun Gandhi” (March 24) was a timely indictment of hate politics, which has emerged of late. The Election Commission has acted promptly and rightly advised the BJP not to sponsor his candidature.

The BJP, on the other hand, has rejected the advice. This is certainly a wake- up call for the voters who have to decide what type of MPs they want in Parliament.

WG CDR J S BHALLA (retd ), Chandigarh