The Lotus blooms again
The first Bharatiya Janata Party Ministry has finally taken over Maharashtra State. Even though the party failed to win absolute majority as they fell short by more than 20 seats, the Devendra Fadnavis-led ministry can still get the majority with the help of Independents and the like-minded parties. Sena tried to play hide-and-seek game from the day the elections were announced in the State. That game continued until Sena’s leader Uddhav Thackeray decided to take part in Devendra’s oath-taking ceremony. The two parties, which were together for the past 25 years, should bury their differences and reach some deal for the wellbeing of the state. Sena, on its part, may support BJP when the latter is asked to prove majority in the floor of the House. Anyway, the good news is that Lotus has bloomed in Maharashtra after 15 years of Congress rule.
C K Subramaniam
New CM must focus on growth
This refers to the edit page article ‘Fadnavis comes with no baggage’ (FPJ, October 31) by Siddarth Bhatia who paints the correct picture of the state and the city for new chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. He tells him that he has to be on his own from now onwards to run a tough state and a still tougher city that boasts of billionaires amid slums and homeless people. Devendra has to realise that Sena is sulking and Gadkari’s supporters are lying low only for the time being. However, such negative factors should not distract him. He job now is to focus on good governance, the development of the state and the welfare of its citizens.
Dr V Subramanyan
Sena’s next move significant
The growing acrimony between the Shiv Sena and BJP must be making the “secular” Congress and NCP happy. Shiv Sena has got an ace up its sleeve — it may put up its own candidate for the Speaker’s post. Congress and NCP would then be glad to support the Sena nominee so that the official BJP candidate is defeated thereby probably leading to the fall of the minority government led by Devendra Fadnavis.
Vineet Phadtare
Imam’s remarks mischievous
Shahi Imam of Delhi Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari made an unnecessary controversy with his remarks on guests to be invited for the anointment of his son as the Naib Imam. There is no dispute that anointing his son as his successor at Delhi Juma Masjid is his private business and he has every right to pick his guests. However, treating Nawas Sharif, the prime minister of Pakistan, as a friend of Indian Muslims and viewing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi as their enemy was in bad taste. Patriotic Indian Muslims will not support Bukhari’s mischievous move.
P P Vijayakumar Nair
Tharoor ignored Sikhs killed in 1984
The recent outburst of Shashi Tharoor against the Modi Government for “ignoring” Indira Gandhi’s death anniversary and, instead, celebrating Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary as ‘National Unity Day’ is understandable. All these days, he had been criticised by his own party workers for heaping praise on Modi. For this, they even removed him from the post as party’s spokesperson. One would have appreciated Tharoor if he had uttered some words of sympathy for families of more than 5,000 Sikhs killed by his own party workers after the assassination of Indira Gandhi in 1984.Families of these riot victims are yet to get justice.
S K Venkateshan
New austerity drive welcome
This refers to the news ‘Babus to feel pinch of belt-tightening’ (FPJ, Oct 31). The Union government is going in for a major austerity drive by banning first-class air-travel by bureaucrats, their conferences/meetings in five-starred hotels, fresh purchase of cars, creation of new posts, and foreign study-tours. Significantly, similar moves were initiated by previous governments too. But this is the first time such a large austerity drive has been announced. But this latest step must not be restricted to just bureaucrats. Similar curbs should be applicable to legislators, including ministers. Media has reported on waste of money in the name of junket-tours and study-trips by ministers, parliamentarians, legislators and corporators. Prime Minister Narendra Modi should take initiative in imposing a total ban on such junket tours.
Madhu Agrawal
India needs leaders like Patel
Sardar Patel is above any party. He belongs to India as Mahatma Gandhi belongs to the world. But during Congress regime, Patel, the ‘Iron man of India’, was completely ignored on his birth anniversary on October 31. The past two days, newspapers have been carrying reports on how the present government too ignored the death anniversary of Indian’s former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. No doubt, Indira Gandhi too should be remembered. For the downfall of Congress started after her death. Modi government did the right thing by organising various programmes to remember Patel. Had he lived longer, or had he became India’s first Prime Minister, there would have been no problems related to Kashmir. India needs honest and dedicated leaders like him.
Mahesh Kapasi
Jaitley’s somersault amusing
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley is known for his somersaults on various issues. First he gives a sermon to the CAG advising him to desist from sensationalising issues. Until the other day, he was using the CAG office to browbeat the Congress government. Next, he advises bureaucrats to cut expenses while himself ignoring the huge expenditure which was incurred for the swearing-in ceremony of the new Maharashtra Chief Minister. Jailtley takes great care of his health but ignores the damage done to the cricket pitch at Wankhede stadium which was the venue of the great ceremony. He is a magician par excellence who can make a hundreds of lotuses bloom off Marine drive.
Dharmendra Nagda
