Anna Hazare’s leadership needed to fight graft

Anna’s leadership needed to fight graft
Last week, we saw all the drama after the irrigation scam was exposed. It is clear that the people are taken for granted by this so-called group of ministers. I request Anna Hazare to lead from the front and expose all of them and ensure that they are given the harshest punishment. The poor farmers are committing suicide because of crop failure and a handful of ministers, bureaucrats and contractors are busy filling their pockets. Since Annaji is always concerned about farmers and development of villages, I would be happy if he starts a movement against corruption. Gujarat took the initiative to develop the Narmada project despite all odds and today, after almost 10 years, we see development in the state. We have not heard of any farmer suicide in Gujarat. It has become the largest producer of cotton in India.

Taking into consideration the 2014 election, this is the right time to strike and woke up people from their slumber. We have seen a number of scams (Adarsh society, 2G and Coalgate).  The ruling and the Opposition party are hand in glove and are fooling the poor people. Only a leader like Annaji can help our country come out of this. It has become worse than British rule.
—Bhavesh Shah, Thane  

Elderly: Easy prey
It was alarming to read one more report of a senior citizen being murdered (‘Elderly found dead in flat was killed: Cops’, Sept 29). Senior citizens living alone in the city have become an easy prey for criminals, who seem to be keeping a close track of such helpless people and then strike. Registering with the police does not always help because there are far too many senior citizens for the police to handle. For those elderly living alone, it is only the neighbours who can be of help. But unfortunately in Mumbai, nobody cares to know his/her neighbours, leave alone help them in distress.

Therefore, it is necessary that housing societies use the security personnel to look after the welfare of the elderly living alone.
—Dr V Subramanyan, Thane  

Law and disorder   
Thankfully, Ganeshotsav is over. Tilak’s slogan, ‘Swaraj is our birthright’, has been replaced by ‘noise is our birthright’ because all rules, even the recent Bombay high court ruling on the use of loud speakers have been flouted. Places of worship are ordered to switch off/tone down speakers by the Law Enforcement Authority (LEA). However housing societies where the so-called educated, rich people live, are allowed to flout the rules. I want to ask the LEA whether our laws are only for law-abiding citizens. I am an octogenarian and, like all the aged, have to suffer ear-splitting drum beats during immersions. A pandal had loud music/singing well past midnight, for at least four nights during the 10-day festival.
—HL D’Silva, Vashi
 
Unfair service tax
The service tax on AC train fares should only be charged if we travel. If the ticket is cancelled, then the service tax amount should be refunded as we are not using the service. I think the Railway Ministry should look into this matter and change it accordingly.
—Manoj N Parmar, Kandivli (E)  

Against the consumers
Indian consumers have always been taken for granted. Now, the distributors of BPCL and HPCL have flexed their muscles to deny home delivery of LPG cylinders in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai, with effect from October 1. The decision is not only unilateral, arbitrary and atrocious but also cruel. It is an act of arm twisting both the manufacturers and consumers.Will the government continue to be a silent spectator, or take the bullies to task, by initiating stringent action, including action under the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act?
—VV Vijayan,Chembur

Blame game fails
Poor Mamata Banerjee has been put in the doghouse by the clever semantics of the UPA ministers, economic experts and the media. The Kelkar Committee blames diesel subsidy for fiscal slippages. Unfortunately, facts do not support it. Diesel sells for about Rs.52.45 per litre in Mumbai.The benchmark cost of diesel, both in India and the US, inclusive of profit margins at all stages of manufacture, would be approximately Rs.50.50 per litre. And the dictionary meaning of subsidy is “a sum of money granted by the government or a public body to assist an industry or business so that the price of a commodity or service may remain low or competitive”.Here the government is granting no money to the industry; on the contrary, it is getting almost Rs2 per litre in indirect tax plus a direct tax of 30% on the profits earned by the refining and marketing companies.

Therefore, Banerjee is right is saying that aam aadmi is being looted in the name of reforms. Fiscal slippage is due to the extravagance and corruption in the government and that is where the reform has to start.
—Hanif Murad, Mumbai

No space for chess
I am pained to note that your paper hardly devotes any space to chess news. Koneru Humpy has just won Women Grand Prix in Turkey.World champion Vishwanathan Anand is playing Masters in Brazil.This is one game where we have done better than any other sport. Hope chess events are given better coverage in future.
— Commander(Retd) Rajinder Kumar, Navi Mumbai