18 Jan 2017 | 11:25pm IST
letters to the editor
Tomorrow January 20, Donald Trump enters the White House as the 45th President of the United States of America. On Friday, Donald Trump and Mike Pence will participate in a tradition that’s over 200 years old - the presidential and vice-presidential inauguration.
A poll has shown that Trump enters the White House as the least popular President among the last seven presidents spanning four decades. However the president-elect has said that the polls for the approval ratings are rigged just like the election survey was. However the expectations of the incoming president on the economy and the fight against terrorism remains high. Be that as it may one decision of the new president that the world will be eagerly watching is his move to build the Mexico wall.
On day one in office Donald Trump is expected to kick off construction of the Mexico wall. The wall will be built along the 3,100 km border that the US shares with Mexico. A study by the Washington Post has reportedly estimated the cost of the Trump’s wall would be close to $25 billion. However Donald Trump said that he will build the wall inexpensively and that no one builds walls better than him and that he will make Mexico pay for the wall. However this could be more easily said than done. This statement by Trump has had the Mexican government worried as it wants to keep good relations with the US administration.
However the great wall of Mexico could be the bone of contention between Mexico and US under Donald Trump as Mexico is reportedly facing nationwide protests due to rising gas prices and the fall of value of that country’s currency peso.
Eradicate corruption
from its roots
During the past few years, the image of our country India has been defaced beyond redemption. A large number of scams and scandals, involving top politicians, administrators and VVIPs have come to light. These scams and scandals, most of them that have been unearthed by the Central Bureau of Investigation involve huge sums of money running into thousands of crores of rupees. They have shaken the entire conscience of the country to the bones.
In my opinion, all ministers and public servants should be made to declare their assets. The vigilance department should also keep a constant eye on corrupt officers and other public servants. Ministers and senior officials must set a noble example of an honest living free from corruption, bribery, nepotism and immorality. Today, the number of ministers possessing an honest image can be counted on the finger tips. Earlier, bribe was paid for getting wrong things done. But now, the palms of officials are greased for accomplishing tasks at the right time.
Corruption will only end when people stand up and speak out. If we do not take the step forward to eradicate corruption from its roots, then Indians won’t progress and will continue to remain an undeveloped country.
Concentrate on
core business
The Army Chief Rawat needs to stop the bluff and bluster approach in talking tough but concentrate on brass tacks to do his basic job of protecting his men and country. When the Army is unable to protect their own camps in Kashmir for reasons of administrative lacunae and lax operational procedure as was evident since the attacks on Pathankot, how will they protect the country?
Rawat also needs to de-emphasize the 'surgical strike' narrative since it has become more of a political weapon in recent times. As Rawat would obviously know that any such sensitive operations are not to be given needless publicity and the maxim to be applied is - Talk Less, Work More. That is the way the effectiveness of the Army operations would improve.
Defence Minister Parrikar need also mull on these issues and cut out the frivolous talk and concentrate on matters to make the Indian armed forces the best fighting-fit force in the world as he himself had said in the recent past.
Rawat has again put his foot in his mouth by banning enlisted men from going on social media with their grievances. This is not proper in these changing times when you are expected to work in an open and free environment. Leadership needs to be innovative to stop or manage opinion both adverse as well as positive. By being repressive, Rawat will only end up bottling up pent-up emotions which are bound to come out in the open one day. Rawat needs to learn from the maxim - Recognise Change & Be The Change.
Srinivas Kamat, Alto St. Cruz
I refer to "Mining Loot Recovery ..." in the Wednesday (18 January, 2017) edition of O Heraldo. The Goenchi Mati Movement is non-partisan and does not support any political party. Our manifesto has been supported by GSRP and AAP.
In view of this, the subtext which states that Goenchi Mati supports the GSRP and AAP is incorrect. We are hoping the Movement's proposals will be accepted for inclusion in the manifestoes of other political parties as well.
Parties which are not willing to include these proposals (and are unwilling to propose their own) may be indicating their inability to part ways with the mining companies and other mining lease-holders. The voter can then decide accordingly.
Claude Alvares and Rahul Basu, The Goenchi Mati Movement
Great war within
the family
The so-called defeat of father Mulayam Singh Yadav at the hands of his son Akhilesh Yadav has in fact been most relaxing for Mulayam where he exhibited his skilsl to end the war in his family, and at the same time projecting his son Akhilesh as a hero in the forthcoming UP elections.
It seems that the step-mother of Akhilesh who happens to be second wife of Mulayam might not be happy with step-son monopolising political legacy of her husband. Best way to ease out of the peculiar family problem for Mulayam was to contest and lose before the Election Commission to get an order against him and then plead in the family that he was helpless before order of the Election Commission favoring Akhilesh!
Subhash Chandra Agrawal, Delhi
I refer to the report that the Apex Bank has increased the ATM withdrawal limit to Rs 10,000 from the present limit of Rs 4,500 but has retained the withdrawal limit at Rs 24,000 per week.
While most of the ATM s are still defunct, and people are made to run from the pillar to post to withdraw even Rs 5000 from their accounts as banks run short of cash, the above relaxation sounds not only illogical but also an insult to injury.
