The cover story ("The Great Sugar Scandal", June 30) gives a clear picture of the sugar scandal. It's sad to know that besides politicians, bureaucrats have also been involved. The Food Ministry should form an expert committee to estimate the production rate and demand early in a year, so that it becomes possible to order the imports before the price rises. Pune M. GOPALAKRISHNA

In his interview, Kalpnath Rai claims that all recommendations made by the food secretary on the monthly releases of sugar are approved by him. Compare this with his statement in the Indian Express of June 26: "The minister determines the overall quota which is being released every month." In any case, if he had such faith in his secretary, why didn't he just allow the import of sugar by the fci, pac strictures on the Food Ministry notwithstanding? New Delhi s.s. saksena

In the cover story, I was misquoted as saying, "We made a mistake on production estimates". Sugar output depends on various imponderables such as cane-growing area, yields and diversion to alternative sweeteners, which further depend on government policies. Thus, variations between estimates and actual figures are inevitable. If this is called a mistake. everybody commits it the world over. It is also unfair to attach motives. If the actual sugar production this year was lower by 8 per cent than estimates, the reverse was true in 1991-92 when production of 134 lakh tonnes proved to be substantially higher than the initial estimate by 12 per cent. New Delhi s.L. jain

Secretary-General Indian Sugar Mills Association


It was a victory for democracy when the Government was forced to withdraw the bill reducing the powers of the cec (' 'Zeroing in on Seshan", June 30). T.N. Seshan, a true bureaucrat, is uncompromising and up holds the Constitution of India. The politicians should realise that their efforts to push him into a corner will not be successful. Jamshedpur J.G kumar

Seshan, by his integrity and promptness, has proved that he is above the prime minister and government. The failure of the government to get the Constitution amendment bill passed has shown that an officer who is loyal to his duties can overtake even Parliament. Mysore s. l. narasimha


The article on Kashmir ("New Straws in the Wind", June 30) was heartening. The bottomline is that the Kashmiris are at last turning round, mostly because they have realised that Pakistan does not present a better alternative. The Pakistan-trained militants wrecking havoc in the Valley have given them a foretaste of what is in store should they join forces with Pakistan. Bonds of religion, they have realised, are just a lure. The militants going to pok for training might have even got a chance to look into the crystal ball of their own destiny as the conditions there are not all that rosy.

New Delhi saro) kulshreshtha


Hats off to Ghouse Mohammad for presenting a true picture of secularism and being the source of spreading communal harmony among the masses of this country, which is badly needed today ("Bigotry vs Inter-faith Harmony", June 30). At a time when people are intolerant towards other religions, this act of a Muslim priest has raised hope for bringing light in the darkness created by chauvinists of various religions. Jaipur v. rala krishnan


Your report on the Bodos ("Bodoland on the Boil Again", June 30) gives the impression that the members of the minority community who fled in the wake of the violence in May are not likely to return to their homes soon. Actually, all 6,000 of them were rehabilitated by June 7 and the 200 houses burnt have been reconstructed. Regular visits by magistrates and the establishment of police pickets add to the security of the villagers. Kokrajhar, Assam D. jhingran

District Magistrate


India is in dire need of one-man institutions like Guru Hanuman ("The Old Champ", June 30) who have an indomitable will, complete devotion and a never-say-die spirit. Only then will this nation of one billion people get its due position in international sports. New Delhi a.k. agarwal

The photo-feature on the nonagenarian wrestler was interesting. It is amazing to learn that a man with no training in the art has earned a plethora of awards both at the national and international levels. Guru Hanuman is a real enigma. New Delhi mani natarajan


Your report on the prime minister's US trip ("A Quiet Triumph", June 15) says that the American business world required Rao's "personal assurance" on the Indian investment scene. If this was the main purpose of the visit, wouldn't it have been better to just send Finance Minister Manmohan Singh, a man who is highly respected abroad? He would have given the required personal assurance to the American big guns and precious public money would have been saved. New Delhi animesh singh

Rao's visit to the US has come as a welcome relief. Instead of mere jingoistic rhetoric, he has stressed the importance of democracy in his address to the US Congress. Hopefully the US Administration will handle the irritants between the two countries in a more mature manner now, instead of the loud-mouthed approach that Robin Raphel seems to favour. Patna jaya Prasad


At last, there is a ray of hope that offers a solution to the rut in the education system that operated only by the three Rs-rote, ruler and restrictions (' 'Hop, Skip, Sing and Learn", June 15). It is high time that parents, teachers and most importantly, students themselves realised that school education should aim at the all-round development of a child's personality. Such creative and innovative education will help to bring out hidden talents that are normally crushed under a drab academic workload or forcibly channelised into conventional career choices like medicine or engineering. Allahabad ritu tripathi


The success of the music in new film like 1942: A Love Story ("The Return of Melody", June 15) reveals that the fickle-minded audiences in this country are finally seeking gold after playing with rusted irons such as khatiyas and sexy, sexy. Dhanbad p.k. singh


Your report on spouse-swapping ("Playing Mixed Doubles", June 15) denotes another kind of prostitution being forced on reluctant wives. Over-indulgence in any activity is injurious to health. As one of the partners interviewed put it: "Life is short-let's enjoy it." Life will indeed become short if one indulges in such unbridled acts of lust. Let such persons channelise their energy towards other hobbies which convert leisure to pleasure, and not fall a prey to blue films and sex magazines. Secunderabad s. nanjundiah

The article is an example of irresponsible journalism, glorifying wife-swapping and group sex. The writers say that the practice has improved the sex lives of these couples by fulfilling their fantasies. But sex itself is a fantasy and when the fantasy of group sex becomes a reality, what next? People will start getting bored again and then they will conjure up some cruder, more vulgar form of unnatural sex. Sikar, Rajasthan v.K. jain

The article on spouse-swapping should not have found a place in your magazine which has a readership crossing all age groups. Further, why give so much importance to such a negligible percentage of the baser elements of society who only serve to prove that some of us human beings are still sick and dominated by animal instincts, notwithstanding our education and social status. Madurai k.s. ramanathan

There is an urgent need to redefine such terms as "broad-minded", "morality" and "fun" with regard to the institution of marriage. The husband cannot be absolved of the guilt of extra-marital relationships j ust because the wife is doing the same thing or vice versa. Also, if these people are so proud of what they are doing, why change their names? Bombay sonali maru

A generation ago, the woman's sexuality was totally ignored, with even sex within wedlock being a forced, one-sided affair. We seem to have come a long way from the days of bride-burning to these 'sexchanges' which acknowledge the woman's right to sexual satisfaction and even variety at an equal level as that of the man today. London shreedhar vaidya

The well-researched piece on spouse-swapping reveals that men are sex-oriented while women are love-oriented. The female of the species is by nature loyal, caring and sacrificing. Men, however, are propelled by lust and selfishness and don't believe in the finer emotions. Thank God for creating women. Hyderabad m. ramdas


This is in reference to your article on real estate conflict ("Land Wars", June 30). Jayantibhai Biscuitwala was not even remotely connected or 'allied' to Dawood Ibrahim or any other underworld don. We have been in the construction line from 1968, have developed a dozen buildings and own a dozen properties with 400 tenants whom we have never ever troubled or harassed. Our present commercial project 'Plaza Asiad' has cost us a lot of hard work, a lot of money and 14 long years to build and complete. It did not creep up overnight with the help of the underworld as alleged. It was the delay in completing the complex that gave rise to financial disputes with two of our financiers which has resulted in Jayantibhai's death. Bombay vishwas patel Patel Biscuitwala & Sons

The charge of underworld links against J.M.P. Biscuitwala was made by the Bombay police investigating the shooting.-The Editor

Scandals will prevail as long as it is easier to become a politician than to get an education or a job.

Hyderabad s.M. enjeti

The isi should be renamed iisi- Institute of Insurgency and Sabotage in India. Sonipat gautam wahi

It takes a lot of courage and conviction to confess a misdeed. Instead of castigating him Imran should be condoned. Nagpur n.a. raju

The practice of spouse-swapping is a result of western influences. A little soul-searching would reveal that no Indian would otherwise even dream of exchanging his wife with another's. Dibrugarh manoj kumar

Let us hope the disastrous practices of conventional education end and hasten the attainment of a more holistic pattern of education. Cuttack SHIV P. PATNAIK

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