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Youth Power
I am a senior citizen but still I totally agree with
Mr. Dang’s view that youth must be given a chance to serve their
country politically. It is a sad commentary on our political lifestyle
that while the young are inducted as enforcers of law and order, and
often lay down their lives defending the country, our fossilised
political leaders are enjoying their perks in air-conditioned comfort.
The problem is that there is no retirement age for politicians and as
such they cling to power even though they cannot even stand erect
without support. Our senior politicians are not going to make way for
the young voluntarily. They will have to be deposed if a younger and
more vibrant leadership is to be put in place.
Sidharth Kaushik
Lucknow
Presidential
Elections
With reference to the cover story on the Presidential
election (The DayAfter, August 1-15 ), the article makes a strong case
for the Presidential form of government in the country. This concept
has been mooted time and again by many political thinkers in India but
somehow it has never been given any serious thought. May be our
politicians feel that their clout will be lessened under this system.
Until and unless the election of the President is by popular vote of
the people and not by the electoral college, our existing form of
democracy will continue to suffer the malaise of delays and corruption
to which it is vulnerable.
Sadiq Ali
Meerut
Candidates’
Eligibility
When it comes to protecting their group interests, our
politicians always flock together regardless of party, ideology,
caste, creed or principle. This is plain from the way the Government,
with the help of all opposition MPs, is rushing through a bill to
subvert the Supreme Court’s directive on election candidates’
eligibility criteria.
Vijay Sanghvi’s article clearly brings out the growing danger of
withholding information from the public on the candidates’ background.
As a result, we have seen mass-murderers, dacoits, rapists,
extortionists and every kind of criminal element entering Parliament
and thumbing their noses at the law and order authorities. This has to
stop, and soon, if India’s image is to regain the heights it once
held.
R. S Jain
Udaipur
Follow the
Leader
It is common to accuse the police and other law and
order authorities of being corrupt to the core. There is much truth in
this allegation but why blame them? If criminals can become
legislators and use their position to avoid punishment, why blame the
policeman if he becomes cynical and disillusioned and decides to
follow the example of his masters?
Rakesh Mathur
Bangalore
Pravasi Bharatiya Divas
Everybody is wooing the NRIs because they have the
money, the expertise and the administrative skills to run a profitable
business in an open economy. Except for a very few of our home-grown
industrial tycoons, the rest of them just cannot survive in a
liberalised world without resorting to unethical business practices.
But when an NRI does decide to come to India, he is often forced to
return in disgust when faced with our bureaucratic redtape, political
interference and the corruption at all levels of the administration.
We have to give our NRIs a conducive environment if we want them to
convert India into a really developed country.
R. K. Kapoor
New Delhi
Sexual Myths
Apropos “Sexuality After Fifty—Myths and Reality” (The
DayAfter, August 1-15, 2002), health-wise it has been proven that
regular sex life of a couple results in much better health as regular
sex life burns up calories. Many times it is observed that, after
marriage, especially after a gap of few years, the sex life of many
couples almost vanishes. The reasons are tension, responsibilities of
children, joint family system and work stress, which results in a
monotonous sexless life. Sometimes, such tension, situations and
circumstances result in distancing the couple, and may often result in
divorce. However, if both the parties are victims of such kind of
tension, married life continues even without sex.
Mahesh Kumar
New Delhi |
