Shocking news on UID

Shocking news on UID
The news report, ‘Parliament panel axes UIDAI; project in crisis of identity,’  (December 14) is shocking. The revelation of the facts about the UID card process makes every citizen of the country lose confidence in the administration. This shortcoming points at the UPA government that ignored the legitimacy of this project before launching enrolment campaigns. Besides spending crores of rupees on the card, the government also made crores of people stand in long queues in expectation of this inept attainment. One can even discern that this entire feat is just to show the public that the government has brought great reforms for the welfare of society.
—Pavan Kumar, Bangalore

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Thousands may be hopefully looking forward to receiving their Aadhar identity cards since acquiring the necessary documents and sparing time to stand in long queues for submission. Now that the project has been reported to have been almost discarded , the first question that comes to mind is: What’s wrong with our government? The exasperated could also shout: What’s right with the government? In addition to humongous scandals, the government has been suffering policy paralysis on every front. Crores of tax-payers’ hard-earned money has gone down the drain. The aam aadmi is left to his fate in the battle for survival.
—KK Wajge, Mumbai

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With last September’s announcement of the UID scheme and a great luminary (Nandan Nilekani) appointed to handle the project, one would have thought that the government had a cohesive and foolproof plan to map India’s population. Unfortunately, the government standing committee has axed the project, citing shocking reasons that there was no feasibility study carried out, security concerns were not taken into consideration, biometrics formalities were flouted and also that there was no parliamentary sanction to the project. Isn’t there any credibility left in whatever the ruling party does?
—Deepak Agharkar, Mumbai

Time to take a stand
The time has come for the Congress party to stand up to Anna Hazare. It is apparent that he is stalking the party in power. No amount of concessions will satisfy him. It is time to tell him, thus far and no further. For some reason, beyond my understanding, a news channel has adopted him. The anchor, without any sense of propriety, has turned into an unabashed cheerleader of Anna. All debates on that channel are contrived to depict as if the entire country has turned against the ruling party. The fun, frolic and feasting, along with Anna’s fast, at the venue, is presented as a political protest rather than a reality show that it is. The Congress bashing by Opposition parties is the new added attraction to the event. Leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi faced similar situations and got on top of it by confronting the enemy. The moment has come for either Sonia Gandhi or Rahul Gandhi (because he is being targeted by Anna) to do the same. That is the need of the moment. They must explain clearly to the people that whilst they are against corruption, Anna’s ‘andolan’  can only lead to an anarchy, which they, as a responsible party in power cannot allow. And, finally, the collective wisdom of Parliament, as laid down in the Constitution, will prevail.
—Hanif Murad, Mumbai

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The UPA government has criticised the Opposition which shared the dais with social activist Anna Hazare during the anti-corruption protest, saying an attempt has been made to bypass Parliament on the Lokpal. It is true that only Parliament can enact laws. But they should be enacted for the people. People cannot be ignored till the next election. The ruling MPs are expected to reflect people’s views and concerns, not just their parties’ stand, in Parliament. How can Team Anna’s request to the representatives to join the movement be called undemocratic?
—Valli S Rajan, Mumbai

Hail the Kiwis
New Zealand’s dramatic triumph against Australia at Hobart should give Dhoni’s men a glimmer of hope as they run into the Kangaroos on Boxing Day. The Kiwis were virtually down and out for the count at the end of day three and with certain defeat staring them in the face, found their hero in Doug Bracewell, who in a brilliant six wicket burst, helped script a nail-biting seven-run win. The victory is a first for the Black Caps in 26 years Down Under and brought to the fore the ‘glorious uncertainties’ of the sport.
—Ravi Chander, Bangalore

A picture says it all
The photograph of the prime minister and Sonia Gandhi (on page 9 of DNA, December 14) conveys more than what it shows. Does it indicate the shape of things to come in the political scene of the Congress party and the UPA? It will be better for the country if the PM starts taking his own stand on issues of national importance. Perhaps Sharad Pawar’s opposition to the Food Security Bill is a welcome beginning.
—AG Ramasubramanian, via email
 

Jayanthi scales summit
Our environment minister Jayanthi Natarajan received a standing ovation from delegates of 194 countries at the climate summit at Durban for an impassioned speech in which she ensured that India’s main concern — the inclusion of the concept of equity in fight against climate change — became part of the Durban package which said that all countries would be partners of a global pact to control Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.  She appears to have resisted efforts to shift the climate problem to countries like India that have not contributed to it. Rich nations have agreed to reduce their GHG emissions from 2013.  This is quite an achievement.
—DR V Subramanyan, Mumbai