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LETTERS
Myth Of The Crystal Ball
Your article on
astrology reminded me of an anecdote concerning Niels Bohr, nuclear scientist
and Nobel Prize winner ("Science or Sham?", September 17). A
visitor, surprised to see a horseshoe hanging over the scientist's door,
asked him, "Do you, a sober man dedicated to science, believe in
that superstition?" Bohr's retort: "Of course not, but I have
been told that it's supposed to be lucky, whether you believe in it or
not." So it appears to be with our pseudo-secular politicians who
vehemently oppose M.M. Joshi's attempt to introduce astrology as a subject
but approach select astrologers to ascertain their political future. For
instance, astrologer P.U. Panikkar of Kerala boasts of patrons like J.
Jayalalitha and Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna.
—V.A. Gopala, Bangalore
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Insulating Power
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The power of perks and privileges
is so alluring that it renders the beneficiary virtually insensate
("Breach of Privilege", September 10). Even well-meaning
and honest individuals often come to live lives of illusion in the
cloistered worlds of privilege. Tavleen Singh, however, diverts
attention from the core issue by harping on hackneyed themes like
taxpayers' burden, expense savings or revenues generated for the
exchequer. The fact is that for a nation of our size, any expense
related to legislators is only a drop in the ocean. Let us leave
the "taxpayers burden" bit to be addressed through more
effective means-such as getting rid of our public-sector monopolies.
—Shrikant Krishan, Gurgaon
Why should politicians be given so
many perks when the average Indian just about gets a square meal
a day? Take away their perks and you will get few politicians who
are really interested in the welfare of the people.
—Mavis Smith, Bangalore
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Astrology's inclusion as a subject in universities
is not a retrograde step and certainly doesn't deserve to be derided.
It is, in fact, a pragmatic measure considering that our society is misguided
by some unscrupulous elements in the garb of astrologers who have no basic
understanding of the subject. It will create a sensation in the West like
yoga-ridiculed by pseudo-secularists here but assimilated by the Europeans
and Americans-did. Incidentally, when a dead subject like Marxism can
continue to be taught, why not astrology in which a vast majority of Indians
have faith?
— A.C. Kapoor, Delhi
While everyone is quick to damn astrology-one
of the six limbs of the Vedas-they are slow in giving an equal chance
to enlightened argument. Astrology is a study that attempts to interpret
the influence of heavenly bodies on human affairs and it does not include
parrots, Tarot, tantra, mysticism and numbers. Many people have asked
why the terrorist attacks in the US were not forecast. The truth is, I
had predicted that the period from February to mid-October 2001 is bad
because Saturn and Mars are in conflict, but most publications refused
to carry it.
— PandiT K.B. Parsai, Delhi
Fostering Ties
When it comes to A.B. Vajpayee, the very word
"foster" sounds fishy ("PM's Point Man", September
17). Ranjan Bhattacharya is a foster son-in-law, Pramod Mahajan is a foster
son and Brajesh Mishra, a foster friend. I wish the prime minister had
married.
—Jagdish Prasad Naithani, on e-mail
In the career graph of Brajesh Mishra, Vijay
Goel and Pramod Mahajan, the one common feature that stands out is their
proximity to Ranjan Bhattacharya. Isn't that a clear signal that the way
to Vajpayee is through his foster son-in-law?
— Shailesh Patel, Anand
Vrrrooom Time
Apart from the mettle of the top bosses of Hero
Honda, the success of the brand can be attributed to their way of thinking
as well: "There is no limit to what a man can do or where he can
go if he doesn't mind who gets the credit" ("Hero No 1",
September 10).
— Anand Agarwal, Solapur
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