Letters to the editor: Dubious affairs of some private banks

Dubious affairs of some private banks
Apropos of “Sting bares money laundering at top private banks”, it is shocking that a  sting operation, and not the banking regulator or income-tax department, has exposed malpractices by some of the country’s most successful private banks. These banks were promoted by erstwhile term-lending institutions, they do not belong to any corporate or family entity and are supposed to be professionally managed.

They are the darlings of foreign institutional investors, hardly cater to the social sector, but exploit the urban retail market, and are regularly in the news for the strong-arm methods they adopt to recover bad loans. The latest exposure reveals that these banks may not be conducting entirely normal banking operations. The Reserve Bank of India and the related government departments should investigate the matter thoroughly, book the culprits and suitably amend the banking laws. Till then, no new banking licences should be issued.
—N Ramamurthy, Chennai

Bring them to heel
It is no surprise that three private banks have been accused of money laundering. In their enthusiasm to grow their deposit and loan portfolio quickly, the banks are pulling out all stops to hook customers. In the bargain, they cock a snook at the authorities, flouting KYC norms, encouraging benami transactions and aiding money laundering. Now that the banks have been exposed through the sting operation, the regulators would do well to minutely scrutinise their books and bring them to heel.
—NJ Ravi Chander, Bangalore

J&K drifting again
With each passing day, the state of Jammu & Kashmir is slipping into total chaos and lawlessness. With the elected government that owes allegiance to the Indian constitution having abdicated its responsibility to protect citizens, the writ of the terrorists and separatist elements prevails in the state. The other day, almost the entire state assembly, including the state chief minister, was seen paying tributes to a terrorist convicted of treason.

A separatist leader goes to Pakistan and hobnobs with the enemies of the nation. In the terrorist attack on the CRPF camp this week, five brave jawans who were killed could only wield lathis and were not allowed to use weapons. It is a disgrace that the Union government is a helpless spectator to the erosion of its authority in the state. And the Congress party is particularly responsible as it is also an ally of the National Conference government in the state. If the situation is to be salvaged, it would be necessary to impose military rule.
—VM Swaraj, by email

Pakistan not interested in peace
The decision of the Indian government to cancel the India-Pakistan hockey test series scheduled in April, is a step in the right direction. The killing of five CRPF jawans by terrorists is yet another attempt by Pakistan to stir up trouble in India, in total disregard of all the peace efforts that have been undertaken so far. It is clear that Pakistan is not interested in the peace process and, therefore, India must snap all ties with that country and take a tough stance that would deliver a strong lesson for a long time to come.
—Bhagwan Thadani, by email

Get medico legal view on lowering age to 16
I don’t think the government has sought any medico legal opinion before deciding to lower the age of consent for sex from 18 to 16. This is a medical matter, for, how can one  determine whether a girl has crossed the age of 16 or not? At 16 there is no evident change in the body, whereas at 18 the union of bone epiphysis takes place, and this makes it easier to tell the age with some accuracy. Therefore, I believe that the age of 16 will give rise to medico legal issues, besides the fact that it is a tender age.
—Dr BR Bhatnagar, Mumbai

                                                       II
The UPA government’s proposal to lower the age of consent for sex is surprising. The legal age for marriage is 21 for men and 18 for women, so why lower the age of consent for sex to 16 that would encourage  pre-marital sex?  Instead, the government should have focused on the Juvenile Justice Act, to redefine the age of a juvenile, above which he can be charged for committing crimes like rape and murder. This would help to deal more effectively with incidents like the Delhi gang rape, in which the minor is said to have been the worst among the 6 accused.
—Sharad Kumar, by email

Being human 
Apropos of “Sallu ‘threat’ to Falcons rocks House”, I cannot understand what has happened to Salman Khan, who so many fans look up to and who is also known to do social work. It’s such a shame that the actor has committed some irresponsible acts, or that his bodyguards have acted irresponsibly. Do these big stars really feel for the common people, or do they just make a show? And nobody can do anything about these instances because nobody will listen to them. I sincerely hope that Salman and his bodyguard would try to learn a thing or two about ‘being human’.
—Daksha Bhavsar, by email

                                                II
The case of actor Salman Khan harassing a fisherman’s family in Bandra and the police ignoring the victim’s complaint, shows that some people are more equal than others. It has been reported that the fisherman’s boats and shed are obstructing a good view of the sea from the cottages that Salman has purchased.

I suppose hardly anybody cares that the fishermen living in the area have moored their boats there for generations. And it is quite possible that the police may not even file a case against Salman for harassing the fisherman and his family because of the influence the actor wields. One need only look at the hit-and-run case in Bandra, that has gone on for a decade, and the blackbuck killing case in Rajasthan, that has dragged on for nearly 15 years, to understand a little bit about the influence that some individuals wield.
—AG Ramasubramanian, by email

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