The DayAfter editor deserves all kudos for pointing out in his editorial "Blooming Woman Power" that Sita Rajya has taken a step forward in important North India states like Delhi, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh after the recent state Assembly elections. States like Tamil Nadu and Bihar are already being governed by woman chief ministers. Your editorial has pointed out that the "Great India Woman" is also challenging the male domination in areas outside politics. Is it not time for our men in Parliament to read the writing on the wall and stop blocking the women’s empowerment legislation there? If they fail to see the signs of the time, the two Houses of Parliament might be left as the last resort of the male chauvinists in politics and real power would be wielded by women.

Anuradha Chandran
Bangalore.

IT refers to the interesting feature ‘Giving a new identity to Janpath’ (December II issue). The proposed rejuvenation of entire Janpath with extreme ends of Connaught Place and Windsor Place will perhaps make this place in Lutyen’s Delhi as amongst the costliest markets in the world. At the same time, authorities should also plan some similar plan for Chandni Chowk, the heart of Walled City of Delhi, by planning to clear all roads and footpaths from encroachments with smooth traffic so that famous historical places of this area, including Red Fort, Jama Masjid etc., may be easier to be visited by the tourists.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal
New Delhi

Sunil Dang’s editorial "Blooming Woman Power" makes a very thought-provoking reading. He has said, "I am glad that the Indian electorate has given a very significant verdict in the Assembly polls by declaring "woman power is here". He said that they have brought Sheila Dikshit in power in Delhi, Vasundara Raje in Rajasthan and Uma Bharti in MP as the women leading the political scenario in the important states of northern India. But Tamil Nadu and Bihar were already under the command of women. He could very well add that there had been too very distinguished and powerful Chief Ministers in Utter Pradesh earlier like Sucheta Kripalani and Mayawati.

The point is that if women can rise in politics without being patronised by men, perhaps men would be looking for empowerment one of these days. And in view of their dubious and criminal record politics, women might have to think twice about how much power must be considered safe in the hands of such men?

Purnima Purandhare
Mumbai

Your editorial "Blooming Woman Power" has referred to the fact that women are taking control of the states and political leadership of major political parties like Sonia Gandhi of the INC and Mayawati of the BSP. He might have mentioned two others Mamata Didi of the Trinamol Congress and Jayalalithaa of the AIADMK. But I would like to remind that women played the most important role in the freedom struggle along with Gandhi and Nehru who were great supporters of induction of women like Sarojini Naidu, Sucheta Kripalani, Vijayalakshmi Pandit, Durga Bhabi, Rani Gudilo and Rani Jhansi Bai. They were very much in politics. And then there was Indira Gandhi, who emerged as one of the most powerful woman in the world to leave her mark in the history. I have named only a few women who faught in the freedom movement shoulder-to-shoulder with men. What makes the present day male politicians that they are superior to women?

Do they suffer from some kind of inferiority complex?

Binti Alvares
Pomburpa

IT is interesting to note that The DayAfter had raised the issue of the supremacy of the voter in Indian democracy. In his "The day of the voter" Sunil Dang highlighted the question "why is so much money being spent to elect the people’s representatives and where is the money coming from?’

The question is still troubling us even today. Legislators must be made strictly accountable for the money they spend. I think corruption begins right there.

Madhav Singh Jaipuria
Jaipur

Vijay Sanghvi’s piece, ‘Testing time for Sonia’s leadership’ where he pointed out the Congress campaign with the absence of any programme with which the party could be identified. He also made the point that some Congress leaders have blamed Sonia Gandhi’s advisers who did not implement the Shimla Sankalp that had clearly directed the party to work out electoral adjustments with the like-minded secular parties to face the juggernaut of NDA.

What happened to BSP, the Samajwadi and Samata and almost all left parties who shouted at the top of their voice before the polls and observed strange silence later? The next Lok Sabha poll will be testing time for all politicians who swear by personalities, prejudices and emotional issues. I think the voter has already told the major parties "Perform or Perish".