Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Resignation demand

It is immaterial whether the demand for Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram's resignation is valid. Nalini Chidambaram should have been more conscious of the consequences her action of appearing for the Income Tax Department would have on her husband's standing as Finance Minister. Her explanation and indirect apology cannot amount to a justification. Nor will the regret expressed by the Central Board of Direct Taxes help matters.

Assuming Ms. Chidambaram did not find it necessary to keep her husband informed of her appearance in the case because she is an independent professional in her own right, one wonders whether she would have accepted a contra-brief in a case involving the IT Department.

S.P. Sundaram,
Chennai

There no doubt exists an element of impropriety in Ms. Chidambaram's act. But it is not gross misconduct, as the BJP would have the nation believe. Apart from being an honest Minister, Mr. Chidambaram has struck the right balance on finance matters amidst various pulls and pressures in the UPA Government. He should not be pressured to resign.

R. Thirunarayanan,
Chennai

It is amusing to see that a non-issue, created and developed just to cause embarrassment to the Finance Minister, has been lapped up by the media and blown completely out of proportion.

The matter raised by an AIADMK MP in the Rajya Sabha has been eagerly exaggerated by the BJP. Both parties have their own reasons to discredit and malign Mr. Chidambaram. At best, Nalini Chidambaram's acceptance of the brief can be termed an error of judgment.

P.S. Prabhakar,
Chennai

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