Opinions

Gigantic Tasks Before Gadkari
29-07-10

BY P Raman 
MR Nitin Gadkari, who is just six months into office, has already become a target for his many failures. The rumour mills within the party churn out juicy stories as to how he had messed up issues like the Narendra Modi-Nitish Kumar spat, government crisis in Karnataka and interactions with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh.

Tackling Prices
29-07-10

THE Chief Minister’s assurance to modify the price control scheme and make available more funds to give relief to people reeling under escalating prices of essential commodities needs to seen in the perspective that inflation is a national  phenomenon and only the central government can do anything about.

Oh, Judiciary
29-07-10

IN the biggest ever indictment of the country’s judiciary, the CBI submitted a report to the Supreme Court holding a former supreme court judge along with 23 other sitting and retired judges of Allahabad High Court and lower court judges guilty of fraudulently withdrawing crores of money from the provident fund accounts of class III and IV employees in the Ghaziabad district court.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
29-07-10

Another Milestone for Sachin
ANOTHER milestone has been scaled down by Sachin Tendulkar by registering his 5th Test double century in the ongoing Test series against Sri Lanka. What a great achievement by the “Run Machine”. He is the leading run scorer and century maker in Tests and one-day international cricket.

Flexibility, Key to Indo-Pak Thaw
29-07-10

BY PRAFUL BIDWAI

BOTH India and Pakistan damaged their image with their Foreign Ministers’ meeting last week–the first ministerial since the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks–by refusing to start a productive dialogue. This has disappointed many of their citizens who had hoped for better relations.

Bonding with Britons
29-07-10

THE UK Prime Minister, Mr David Cameron’s ongoing visit to India with three of his four most senior cabinet colleagues along with three other ministers and more than 30 senior executives from top British firms shows the high priority and level that Britain desires to give to its engagement with India and the boosting of economic exchanges with the Asian giant.

A Mystery

29-07-10

THE Minister for Transport, Mr Ramakrishna Dhavalikar’s statement in the Assembly that the tender document of Shimnit Utsch India, the company awarded the work of supplying high security registration plates (HSRP) to vehicles in the state, was not prepared as per the CPWD manual is intriguing.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
29-07-10

Salvaging River Princess

THIS is in reference to the letter ‘Stranded River Princess’ by Mr Adelmo Fernandes (July 28). Marine shipping is governed by the rules and regulations of the Marine Mercantile Department (MMD) and the marine surveyor’s decision is final.

Rising Violence and Intolerance in India
28-07-10

BY KULDIP NAYAR
THE escalating violence in the country frightens me. Still more frightening is the shape it is taking. It has turned in some places communal, regional and ideological. Yet whatever the direction, it indicates a trend where the rule of law is lessening and sheer force is gaining recognition.

Driving Hawks to Wall
28-07-10

PAKISTAN’S double game of fighting alongside the US but protecting the Al-Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan was an open secret. At one stage the Bush administration had expressed concerns that the Pakistani army, particularly its Directorate and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI),