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

Maya wasting money on her own statues

Ms Mayawati has no right to squander away huge funds from the state exchequer on erecting statues of herself and the late Kanshi Ram. While political parties like the BJP have been talking about black money stashed in foreign banks, they are silent about this unwarranted loot of the exchequer.

It is nice that the Supreme Court has issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government on the issue. Leaders should spend public money on development and welfare of the people as a whole and not on raising statues and memorials.

SHAKUNTALA, Shimla

HEMA, Langeri (Hoshiarpur)

III

The editorial, “Statues of arrogance” (June 27) rightly stated that Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati cares two hoots about public opinion. Her action of unveiling her own statues at taxpayers’ expense amounts to brazen misuse of money. The people need to give her a fitting lesson for her acts of squandering away public money on unproductive and wasteful things.

GURMIT SINGH, Mohali

IV

It is uncharitable on Ms Mayawati’s part not to recognize Mahatma Gandhi’s sacrifice for the nation. If she wants people to worship her, she would have to do something real for them. It is childish on her part to unveil her own statues with a dead man. It shows her lack of confidence to advance further in life.

D. L. JUNEJA, Chandigarh

We deserve justice

I read Maj-Gen Satbir Singh’s letter “One rank one pension” (June 29). The BJP and the Congress had dilly-dallied all through. The Indian Rashtriya Raksha Dal, a small party of the ex-servicemen, had also staged a relay hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi.

Defence Minister A.K. Anthony was quick to declare that the Congress would give due consideration to the demands of the ex-servicemen. The Union Budget is round the corner and all ex-servicemen are looking forward to the UPA government’s pronouncement on this issue.

VINOD TULI, New Delhi

Tuition for kids?

Taking tuitions has become a fashion these days. Even kids in the 5-7 age group attend tuitions, escorted by their mothers. When they reach Class IV or V, they devise ways of escaping from the tuition.

Sending children to tuitions may be okay in the case of working or illiterate women, but why do the educated send their wards to tuition? Parents can discipline and educate their children better.

HARINDER KAUR SACHDEVA, Jalandhar

Pak success

Pakistan has emerged as the world’s unbeaten best T-20 team. This triumph will boost the players’ morale and clear doubts about the team’s ability from the minds of Pakistan’s cricket fans.

Moreover, the countries which were reluctant to play cricket in Pakistan earlier may now look forward to have fresh ties with the world champions, which may be a positive step in the interest of sports.

HARDEEP SINGH SULACH, Mohali

Need to improve rail services During Mr Lalu Prasad Yadav’s regime, hidden charges contributed to the Railways’ profit. These include reservation fee on e-ticketing and full ticket cost for upgradation irrespective of the concessional ticket in possession. Worse, a premium reservation fee is charged for the Tatkal ticket from the train’s originating station to the terminating station irrespective of the passenger’s destination. The Railways should cancel Tatkal and revert to the 60-day advance reservation system. Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee should scrap the middle berth between the side lower and upper berths in the Sleeper Class and AC Three-Tier coaches of some Express/Mail trains. These berths are causing untold hardship to senior citizens, ladies, heart patients and the like. As there is no train towards the east from Patiala, introduce a new train or those running from Amritsar or Jammu may be diverted from Ludhiana via Dhuri, Nabha, Patiala to join at Rajpura. O.P. GARG, Patiala