Don’t involve the kids

Don’t involve the kids
This is with reference to ‘New law must speak for kids’, (July 4). Unfortunately in India, there is no law for kids which can save them from denial of love of one parent by the other parent, in case of estranged or divorced parents. Children are ruthlessly used as tools in these cases. Is this not violation of human rights of both the child and the parent who is a victim? When it comes to custody and access of children, the judiciary is not innovative. Children should never be brought to courts. Is limited access of the child to one parent sufficient for the child’s normal growth? Couples need to be put through counselling to stop this inhuman practice of using children to settle scores. There should be a support system for such hapless children and parents.
—Deendayal Lulla, Mumbai

Medical negligence
That a metropolitan magistrate should take 24 years to convict Dr Prafulla Desai for medical negligence is a sad commentary on our judicial system (‘1 day after 24 yrs: Doc in dock’, July 6). If Dr Desai chooses to appeal against paying the penalty, how long will a superior court take to decide the issue? In the first place, the case should not have been admitted at all. If the doctor is going to be sued for medical negligence for every patient dying under their care, then the situation will turn critical with doctors refusing to attend to serious patients. This trend of medical negligence is already getting prominence with the relatives filing cases against the doctors recently.
—AG Ramasubramanian, via email

Sight in hindsight
Contrary to what stock market analysts and experts claim on television, it is almost impossible to predict short term stock market movements (‘Of biz channels & what happens when you miss the best market days’, July 6). Hardly, any of the so-called experts could predict a stock market crash after January 2008, as well as a rebound in 2009. Most of the market participants were caught on the wrong foot, as far as, stock market correction in January 2011 is concerned, as they were busy predicting targets of 23,000 and 25,000 for the Sensex. As much as, the stock market pundits refuse to accept, the fact remains that, stock market movements can only be understood in hindsight.
—Ketan R Meher, Thane

Stand against corruption
At last Anna Hazare’s continuous efforts have started yielding results (‘Hanging fire since 1968, will it be ninth time lucky for Lokpal?’, July 5). The pledge for a strong and effective Lokpal bill is necessary for the country as many VIPs and ministers are involved in corrupt practices, creating scams runs into several crores of rupees. From the all party discussion it is clear that every political party feels a strong Lokpal bill is necessary and that the prime minister as well as higher judiciary should also be covered in the bill. As agreed by all parties, the government would bring the legislation in the winter session of Parliament. Though Anna Hazare is happy that his effort will bear fruit, he has rightly said that
the bill may not eradicate corruption completely but only have 75% effect in curbing corruption. But one thing is clear, that there is a collective effort from all political parties for uprooting corruption from Indian soil.
—V Venkitasubramanian, Thane

Land Act, a handy tool
Apropos 'Land acquisition is oppression: SC', (July 6), it was the Congress which had brought in the Land Acquisition Act when it was in power in UP and now it has become a handy tool in the hands of the opposition to grab land from poor farmers. It is no use blaming Mayawati because every politician, cutting across party lines, is out to grab land from the poor hapless farmers. The Apex Court should use its discretionary power to scrap this draconian Act in the public interest.
—Sudhakar Shenoy, Mumbai