Real faking news

India’s dual railway budget
Apropos of your edit ‘Off the tracks and how’ (DNA, March 24), there were indeed two railway budgets as you have rightly pointed out, both by two ministers from the same regional party, just to satisfy the ego of a maverick leader who is habituated to blocking anything and everything that does not see her hand in it.  Any other government would not have committed both the Himalayan blunders — sacking a minister who has been more sinned against than sinning and, to add insult to his injury, allowing the new man to make a mockery of what he had done.  There is no parallel in world political history for such a jellyfish-like melting by a government that’s been in the saddle for eight years.
—Dr V Subramanyan, via email

Real faking news
Although written on a lighter vein, the Faking News piece raises many relevant issues in the present political scene, clearly bringing out the neglect of the north eastern states in the Government’s reckoning. The coverage of the results of the election apart, the continuing economic blockade over months, the fast of Irom Sharmila, and other such matters were almost ignored by the media, except when something sensational happens like China denying visa to an Army General, for visiting Arunachal Pradesh.  With the ambitious railway budget of Dinesh Tiwari, providing for connections to the north eastern states in the dumps, thanks to Mamata, the neglect will become even more pronounced. It is also necessary to raise a few questions about the porn gate reports: How are press people allowed to take photographs from their mobiles inside the Assembly, while in session? What it’s the limit of their ‘freedom of expression’? The fact that both the cases involved state governments ruled by the BJP, can it be presumed that these ‘reporters’ were planted there by an opposition party to discredit the members?  Although both cases have been decided against the report by the respective speakers of the Assembly, this matter needs to be probed. 
—AG Ramasubramanian, Vashi

The Shivaji stalemate
Apropos the report ‘Shivaji statue puts government on mat’ (DNA, March 16),  it seems that the chief minister Prithviraj Chavan is thinking of taking the project just before the next Vidhan Sabha election of 2014 to garner the votes of Shivaji-loving people. To fulfill the promise he should now appoint one committee consisting of suitable technocrats immediately to sort out the issues of environmental, coastal zone clearance et al and the location of statue should be Natural Island in the Arabian Sea rather than the artificial island.
—Achyut Railkar, Mumbai,

The UPA way
It is disgraceful to see the sorry state of affairs with the UPA government bending backwards to the whims and fancies of its allies to retain power at the Centre. First it was Mamata Banerjee to make the government dance at her tunes and now the AIADMK and DMK have forced the government to support the US resolution against Sri Lanka much against our national policy and have indirectly pushed our strong ally in the laps of China and Pakistan. Thus India will now be surrounded all around by hostile countries. It is better if the UPA takes a tough stand and calls the bluff of its allies because no party wants a mid-term poll for sure.
—Vanita Shenoy, Mumbai

II
Now that it has appeased the DMK, the UPA government can remain in power but in the long run, its vote against Sri Lanka will boomerang on India. The LTTE killed thousands of innocent people. It murdered a former Prime Minister. Has the U.S. done anything about the plight of Palestinians? When Russia and China could act in the interest of Sri Lanka, why did India vote against it? Thanks to narrow policies, we have been isolated in our region.
—Valli S Rajan, Kalyan (East)

III
All the letters to the editor as well as to the DNA newspaper itself continue to bash PM Manmohan Singh for falling prey to coalition politics and the DMK for pressurising the UPA for political gains. Everyone seems more afraid of China getting a naval base in the Indian Ocean with the support of Sri Lanka. Why doesn’t anyone think about countless number of Tamilians being murdered, raped and tortured in the aftermath of LTTE war? LTTE Late chief Prabakaran’s 12-year-old son Balachandran was shot dead by the Lankan Army for ‘celebration’ of their victory over LTTE. So, doesn’t the UN have duty to protect innocent civilians who are being killed? What is wrong in India voting against Sri Lanka? Why are we afraid that none of the neighbours voted against them? They didn’t vote against them because they are least affected by the killings. Sure, DMK and AIADMK maybe forcing the issue for political gains but why can’t anyone think that they forced this vote to save thousands of Sri Lankan Tamils from being brutally murdered or raped?
—Balachandar, Thane

Saving the king
In recent days Kingfisher has been hogging the news- the company has economical problems, the ministry is thinking about ending the flight of Kingfisher etc.  It was interesting to see that how Mallya copes with this. He does own a team RCB in IPL. If Mallya really wants to save his airlines, he could sell some shares of his team. Why some shares, he could sell whole franchise. But neither the government nor the news channels are talking about that option. If he has money to operate a team that’s costing him millions of dollars, why is he seeking a bailout for Kingfisher?
—Rohit Bhardwaj, via email