RTE: nothing right about it

RTE: nothing right about it
This is with reference to ‘Schools likely to bear extra cost of RTE’ (April 20). The whole concept of reserving 25% seats for the students from the economically weaker sections in private schools, though novel on paper and a populist gesture, is ridiculous because one cannot imagine a kid from the slums walking into a posh private school just because there is a reservation provided to him by the government.

Has anyone thought of the mental agony and the psychological impact the stark difference in the social, economic and cultural upbringing between the 75% and these 25% students in the classroom will make on these young minds?

This will only create a new generation of frustrated and rebellious citizens of future from both sets of students by implementation of the RTE Act in letter and spirit. The government should set up schools with the best of facilities at par with the private schools and set up an example as in foreign countries where going to a government run school is a matter of pride.
 —Sudhakar Shenoy, Mumbai

No big deal
What’s the big deal if someone writes a defamatory line in the wall of Lata Mangeskar (‘Vandals deface Lata Mangeshkar’s residence’, April 21)? If you look at the lifts of all the middle class buildings, they would be full of four-letter words and indecent pictures. The walls of independent houses in the outskirts will also be full of all such things, apart from paintings and posters of political parties.

Because of this the police will say that she and Sachin Tendulkar are our national assets and give them additional security for this reason. The nation has fallen prey to celebrity worship. The police don’t give a damn about rapes, sex assaults, robberies that occur frequently in the city. They do nothing for the common people but give additional security to the so called ‘National Assets’. Why this disparity? The preamble to the Constitution of India states equality as a basic right, but in today’s world, it is just a utopia.
—Balachandar, Thane

II
I am a regular reader of DNA and appreciate the paper’s reports on the city and its nearby areas. But I was shocked to read your report ‘Vandals deface Lata Mangeshkar’s residence’ (April 21). Why are you giving so much importance to these celebrities? They are as Indian as anyone else roaming the streets. If your reporter visits other suburban areas he will find such acts of vandalism in public and religious places. The police are suppose to safeguard common people and not just Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar. MN Singh is wrong in calling such people national assets; our Constitution does not give them any special status.
— Marcus Dabre, Vasai-Virar

Our weapon power
This refers to the report ‘Agni-V has 8,000 kms reach: Chinese experts’ (April 21).  With the successful launch of Agni-V, India is gung-ho about ASAT (anti-satellite weapons).  Apart from the land-version ICBMs, India also needs a sea-variant of Agni-V class of inter-continental ballastic missiles for its indigenously-built nuclear submarines.  

The Agni-V missile will also give a boost to the Indian Air Force’s aerospace command which is at present rudimentary. The country’s space weaponry programme will also get a boost with this launch.  

We have recently inducted a nuclear submarine on lease from Russia which is fitted only with cruise missiles, with a range of less than 1,000kms. India has been making slow but steady progress in missiles and the latest land-based ICBM with a striking range of 5,000kms is yet another landmark in our missile capability. We will soon induct indigenously-built nuclear submarine Arihant with nuclear SLBMs with a range of 700 kms.  Our missile development programme has been progressing well thanks to the technologies developed by the ISRO.
—Deendayal M Lulla, via email

A stronger backbone 
This is with reference to ‘Services to normalise by Friday evening’ (April 20). The utter dependence of commuters on the suburban railway and the woeful lack of other modes of transport were reinforced by the recent disruptions on Central railway. A small fire that occurred in the earlier hours of the day should not have caused such a large disruption as there was enough time to take clear steps. I dread to think of what can happen if a repeat of 2005 flood happens. These are indications of the chalta hai attitude that has percolated into the civic administration. The disaster management system is in doldrums. And let us not have any illusions — buses, autos and taxis cannot come to rescue of Mumbai’s citizens when there is a disruption of rail services. It is simply a question of numbers.

The recent disturbance should be taken as a wake up call. As suggested by the Barve Committee, decongestion steps are the need of the day to disperse the congestion. And of course a proper disaster management system.
—PRV Raghavan, via email

Beware of Pakistan
Sir, this refers to the news item ‘No change in stand on Siachen: Pak’ (April 20). The euphoria of our leaders and media over Pakistani Army Chief Kayani’s statement was misplaced.

It is noteworthy that India is better positioned in Siachen and Kayani’s statement has come after about 140 Pakistani army-men perished in the snow in Siachin after which there was public protest and outrage against positioning forces I what is often described as the world’s highest and coldest battlefield. Pakistan is using terror as a state-policy against India and its military establishment is patronising anti-India terrorist outfits operating on Pakistani soil. Till this continues, India has to be careful of Pakistan and desist from reading too much in the statements of Pakistan’s civilian and military authorities.
—MC Joshi, Lucknow