THIS time your cover has out-shone all. I am glad to encounter with a cover, which compels the onlookers to pick it up and browse. My congratulations to your graphic designer who effected such a brilliant piece of work. I also liked the Tarot predictions by Maa Prem Usha and Maa Prem Rithambhara. Can you give me the address of the cartoonist of the cover page? I am interested in cartoon and want to learn. Wish all the readers and your staff a very happy New Year.

Pooja Chabra
Delhi

YOUR editorial "Need for another LOC" (January 1 issue) rightly hits at the injection of sting operations and scandals as polluting factors in Indian politics. It is a shame that even ministers and some top leaders of political parties seem to be adopting the brazen attitude of "my crook is less crooked than yours". There should be some kind of a convention against sting operations, which are the lowest form of negative and dishonest politics. And those who are masters of such operations should be exposed for what they are -- political scorpions.

These scorpions must be desisted. But who will have the courage to take the sting out?

D. Manoharan
Chennai.

YOU have rightly underlined that packing the House of Elders with unwise men and equally unwise women from the starry eyed world of tinsel towns, is an intrusion on the sanctity of the august House. I do not think a Mukri or Madhubala can replace someone like Mulayam Singh or a Mamata in politics. Party loyalists, big money bags and willing party campaigners from Bollywood should be kept away from the House. There were plenty of other ways of awarding and rewarding sycophants. As you have pointed out in your editorial "Need for another LOC" I also hope that the year 2004 turns out to be the year of significant change and at least a LOC is established to save the Rajya Sabha from its reckless Bollywoodisation.

Subhash Nadolkar
Mumbai

YOUR editorial "Need for another LOC" is a timely remainder of curbing the politicians from spreading "cancer" into the country’s body politics.CEC James Lyngdoh has minced no words in saying the same thing in polite but equally firm words. The need for decorum, decency and discipline in politics is a must to curb political misadventures and goons. Why cannot your journal launch a "Three D Movement" to remind the country and fight for the observation of a LOC to ensure decorum, decency and discipline, not only in public life but also in the business of governance?

Shobhana Siharia
Jaipur

Cover story "Short-cut to Rajya Sabha" has rightly highlighted that politicians are conscious of the fact that they no longer are held in public esteem as they used to be earlier. People will not attend any political rally unless it holds the promise of some free entertainment, but such free entertainment at what cost? Look at what happened in Delhi elections. Hema Malini did provide some free entertainment at BJP election meeting and attracted a lot of fans and folk. But Dhanoo could not save BJP’s izzat which was khatre mein and the gimmick cost ML Khurana his big political dreams. At least, Hema Malini is honest when she admitted that she was in Parliament because of the BJP. But who will benefit from it and at
what cost?

Ranjana Sharma
New Delhi

IT was thought-provoking to read Nikhil’s cover story "Short-cut to Rajya Sabha" in your January 1 issue. He has underlined the sad developments that Bollywood charmers and their tinsel drama has replaced development and people’s problems as poll and political issues in the country. How long will the politicians take the people for a ride and offer drama and melodrama in place of development?

Krishen Bhatnagar
Kanpur

Congratulations for your excellent cover story of the January 1 issue by Nikhil, "Short-cut to Rajya Sabha". How true that the decision to resort to film stars in campaigning is the result of the continued feeling of insecurity today’s netas have come to suffer from and is born out of political necessity. Of course, necessity is certainly the mother of this invention that is star politics. But what is the necessity? The necessity is "insecurity thy name is politics".

Shayambir Singh
Chandigarh

WE in Lucknow were told in our childhood, exciting stories about the greatest ruler of Oudh, Majid Ali Shah, who was not merely a king but a great dancer, singer and stage performer of Ras Leela and often choreographed his Ras Leela ballets and performed personally in it. The most prominent countries would always be keen to mix affairs of the court with the affairs of theatrical entertainment, to please the king and to please the fun-loving people. They say that Kathak dancers, singers and choreographers thronged to Oudh Court to participate in the Royal operas, famous as "Indrasabha". How happy would be the spirit of Wajid Ali Shah to see the efforts of those who are keen to turn the Rajya Sabha into another Indrasabha packed with stars from cinema, pointing out all hopes of making politics instrument of entertainment are not lost.