Income and quota
It is difficult to swallow the Government’s arguments in favour of the income limit set by it given the fact that it had not made any such rationale public while drafting the law (Page 1, “₹8 lakh income ‘reasonable’ cap for EWS quota, Centre tells SC”, January 3. Consequently, the reasons proffered by the Government committee seem more like a post-facto rationalisation. As per data available in the public domain, almost 80% of households in India earn an annual income of less than ₹8 lakh. Income-tax data also show that the proportion of tax-payers earning more than this limit also comes to around 20%. Both these facts imply that this limit includes almost four-fifths of households and excludes merely the highest earners. Such a broad inclusion in the name of the economically weaker sections negates the alleged objective of economic justice. Another oversight in imposing any such income limit at the national level also ignores the wide disparity in incomes which exists across States. Such bad legislation adds to the litigation pileup in courts.
Firoz Ahmad,
New Delhi
Amity is key
Pakistan and security. Do they really go together? Pakistan is a state that is in the vice-like grip of its military and follows the dictates of fundamentalists and radicals. Perennial hostility toward India has not helped Pakistan in any way.
In the absence of a tall leader with vision, Pakistan is being pulled on all sides. More than a national security policy, amity needs to be given importance.
R. Ramanathan,
Coimbatore
Assembly polls
It is a matter of grave concern that the Election Commission intends holding polls to the five State Assemblies in the wake of rising COVID-19 cases almost pan India. Equally disturbing is the attitude of political parties in their greed for power. Adding fuel to the fire is most citizens becoming complacent. The heavens will not fall if the elections are deferred. We cannot forget the bitter experience of the second wave.
S. Seshadri,
Chennai
Mask protocol
Despite warnings of a third wave, crowding continues. Masks are being worn without covering the nose and mouth. While a vaccine might help reduce the effects of an infection, only a good mask worn correctly can help cut virus transmission. The blame lies in poor implementation of and compliance with COVID-19 protocols.
Kartikey Singh,
Faridabad, Haryana
