The real big hit

Sir — Twenty20 cricket is all about big hits. But who would have thought Harbhajan Singh would interpret it in this way (“Bhajji slaps, Sree sobs”, April 26)? The incident also brings into focus the brat pack of Indian cricket. Both Harbhajan and Sreesanth have run into trouble for their on-field antics, and Yuvraj Singh, Sreesanth’s IPL team captain, who has called the incident “ugly” and “unacceptable” is reputed to be one of the ‘senior’ delinquents of Team India. One wonders if the future of Indian cricket is in safe hands.

Yours faithfully,
Shoma Biswas, Howrah

Political job

Sir — M.S. Gill’s being made minister in the recent cabinet reshuffle at the Centre is a sham played on the Indian public. The last post held by Gill was that of the chief election commissioner. As the editorial, “Poor precedent” (April 8), points out, the post of the CEC is above politics. After Gill’s induction into the cabinet, the Congress will find it difficult to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party’s allegations about Navin Chawla, the current CEC, favouring the Congress, for it has been proved with Gill’s case that the CEC’s office is politicized.

The Congress has ruined the democratic institutions of the country by politicizing every office, including that of the governor. In the last few years, Congress leaders like Sushil Shinde and S.M. Krishna have been thrust into Raj Bhavans, only to be sent back to active politics. At this rate, Indian democracy will be completely undermined, and smaller parties will learn from the example set by the country’s oldest party.

Yours faithfully,
S. Kamat, Alto Betim, Bardez, Goa

Sir — M.S. Gill did a remarkably independent job as India’s CEC and the nation recognizes his contribution. But his appointment to a political post, as a minister of state with independent charge in the sports ministry, has justifiably raised eyebrows. Supreme Court and high court judges, and the comptroller and auditor general are barred by law to take up jobs after retirement. Election commissioners are statutory authorities and should fall in the same category as the judges and the CAG. The image of election commissioners as being above controversy and suspicion had been shattered by an earlier CEC aligning with a regional political party and then migrating to a national party to contest elections. The BJP made a noise about it, but the saffron party too crossed the lakshman rekha by appointing a retired CAG as a state governor. In a polity wrecked by corruption and actions of expediency, offices of constitutional authorities need to be insulated against the offer of reappointments after retirement. Otherwise, democratic foundations will suffer in the long run.

Yours faithfully,
A.R.K. Pillai, Mumbai

Sir — The United Progressive Alliance leadership has missed an opportunity to equip the government to face the challenges posed by the upcoming elections. If the Congress were really keen on contesting the 2009 election as a party for, by and with the youth of India, it could easily have forced one or more of its geriatric ministers to retire and pushed in not just the lone Jyotiraditya Scindia, but other young leaders like Sachin Pilot.

If the reshuffle exercise was meant to give the government youthful vigour, then the people cannot have missed the irony of entrusting the sports and youth welfare ministry to the septuagenarian M.S. Gill. As for Sonia Gandhi’s comment that her son, Rahul, refused to become a minister, it will only evoke laughter among those who know that she believes that her son is cut out for bigger assignments.

Yours faithfully,
K.S. Jayatheertha, Bangalore