Didi setting a bad precedent

Didi setting a bad precedent
This has reference to ‘Bengal’s interest: Didi sets 15-day deadline for Centre’ (April 22). Mamata Banerjee has asked the Centre to decide on her demand for a three-year moratorium on the interest her state pays as debt. West Bengal pays annually Rs.22,000 crore to the Centre towards debt servicing for repayment of loans taken by the CPI (M)-led government. Though the demand may ring true, it will set a bad precedent. Other states too will demand such moratorium. Setting the deadline for accepting her demand is tantamount to blackmail. It is not a healthy sign for a democracy. She is exploiting the weakness of the coalition UPA government.

The government of West Bengal is reported to have started its own newspaper and TV news channel to spell the achievements of the government. It is a negative move. People can well read the achievements of the government from the implementation of welfare programmes. There is no need for any advertisements of government programmes. Also, railway minister Mukul Roy’s proposal to include a column asking for political leaning in railway reservation forms just to avoid Left party sympathisers travelling along with others, especially TMC supporters, is surprising. Hope such people are not sent out of West Bengal. Let Didi first govern the state well, stop deaths of babies in hospitals and crime against women.
—NR Ramachandran, Ooty

President’s post
In about three months India will have a new president and attempts to nominate the this person has become brisk. Being the first citizen of India, the president must ideally be a consensus candidate, but this is not happening in the recent times due to coalition politics and desire of various parties to take credit for the appointment. The BJP will, with its NDA constituents, obviously have a big say in closing in on a candidate; but the role of regional stalwarts like Mulayam Singh Yadav, Mamata Banerjee and Jayalalithaa in unlocking the prized candidate cannot be even remotely underestimated.

The ruling UPA is said to be considering the names of vice-president Hamid Ansari and finance minister Pranab Mukherjee. Both appear to be agreeable to opposition parties too. Pranab’s services to the government might prevent him from gracing the Rashtrapati Bhavan. Ansari’s non-controversial and low-profile image, and because he belongs to the minority community, can win the day for UPA. The name of communication wizard, Sam Pitroda, is also in circulation and he may not be a bad choice at all.

However, all eyes are on the opposition alliances, who can draw strength from some regional parties who are with UPA directly or indirectly, to play a trump card on UPA. In this regard, the name of former president APJ Abdul Kalam is doing the rounds and he indeed can be a deserving dark horse. Of course, the UPA may again choose a relatively unknown candidate and spring a surprise on the nation as it did last time by plumping for  Pratibha Patil.
—Ganapathi Bhat, Akola

Hockey greats
Apropos of ‘No vacancies for veterans’ (April 22), DNA deserves to be complimented for finding out that there are at least 200 inactive members in the Mumbai Hockey Association, some of whom are no longer alive. What is so prohibitive about the membership of a city-level hockey association?

Membership is a recognition of their services to the game; if there are as many as 135 Olympians, Padma Shris and Arjuna Awardees knocking at the doors of the association, they should be given membership closing the eyes for the rules and brushing aside the alleged high-handedness of the present president. It is indeed strange that there are only 60 hockey players in the 1000-member association.
—V Subramanyan

UPA’s plight
The UPA, in its eighth year of uninterrupted rule at the Centre, is beset from all sides by a number of scams. In keeping with the age-old maxim the would-be deserters are feeling unsecured about their political future. In order to stem the rot, the Congress is using all the means at its disposal to ward off any threat to the government. The latest one in this regard is the news about the ED, toying with the idea of prosecuting Kanimozhi about her alleged role in the 2G scam.

This is nothing but a veiled warning to the southern outfit, the DMK, not to stray from the path of the coalition dharma. The northerners and the easterners are also not lagging behind. With the mercurial Didi adopting a cloak and dagger-like attitude, and Mulayam Singh showing signs of hobnobbing with the idea of the elusive Third Front, the Congress seems to be finding itself between the devil and the deep blue sea.
—Arun Malankar

Renting out
Most of the reports appearing in the press about entry of licensee/paying guest in co-operative housing societies are true and the flat owners, licensee, police department and the society office bearers have to take a little more care while keeping a licensee in flats in their societies.

The situation is worsening because of the brokers take no responsibility, although he is the main player. The recent murder in a society should serve as an eye opener to all. There are several instances wherein the society comes to know about the renting out of flats by a flat owner when the licensee already occupies the flat. No documents are submitted in advance and they come through estate agents at a later date. I suggest that the police should not issue verification unless it is routed through the society.

There are several bye-laws and rules and regulations, but these are not understood or followed by the brokers and flat owners. The society office bearers cannot take action as it will be construed as harassment of flat owners.
—SS Nair