It is puzzling how and why the Indian National Congress’s radar misses inner-party squabbles over and over again (Page 1, “Pilot’s rebellion with 30 MLAs puts Gehlot govt. on the edge”, July 13). Unless the GOP restructures itself in a fundamental way, it is not going to offer any challenge to the Bharatiya Janata Party either at the Centre or in States across India. While it is no longer shocking to find parties using a generous cocktail of money, muscle power and defections to gain and retain power, the BJP appears to have mastered the art and science of defection engineering and technology to perfection. It is unclear why the same BJP is not showing the same deftness in handling the economy, the border crisis with China, and, of course, the pandemic.
A. Venkatasubramanian,
Tiruchi, Tamil Nadu
At a time when the country is battling COVID-19 and has locked horns with a belligerent neighbour, the timing of politicians to rock the boat exposes their indifference to solving the burning issues on hand. It is painful to read about and see lawmakers being bundled in buses and transported to resorts when they are supposed to be nursing their constituencies. The gullible electorate is being taken for a ride.
V. Subramanian,
Chennai
What is happening? The Congress used to be a pan-India party, representing all sections of society, be it peasants or landlords, workers or capitalists, radicals, socialists or moderates; a party of Gandhiji, Patel, Nehru, Bose, Tilak, Kripalani, Rajaji. The party needs to be ruthless about getting rid of corruption, defectors and refocus on appealing to the minorities, the marginalised, and liberals to protect the soul of the Indian Constitution, which cherishes plurality, unity, and the rule of law. The only way forward if the Congress must breathe is this: the dynasty must go.
Shardool Singh,
Shivgarh, Raebareli, Uttar Pradesh