Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

The Chidambaram issue

Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram may be one of the most honest Ministers we have and Nalini Chidambaram fully competent to accept the brief assigned to her by the CBDT. But the Minister is paying for the misuse and abuse of power by his brethren from all parties who twist the law to have their friends and relatives appointed to suitable positions. Again, it is his brethren who are making an issue of the brief. As a common man, I am more concerned with the general abuse of power by politicians than with the personal travails of Mr. Chidambaram.
K. Ravishankar,

Chennai

Should we assume that had the AIADMK MP not raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha, Ms. Chidambaram would have gone ahead with her brief on behalf of the Income Tax department, and the Minister would have continued to remain ignorant of the matter? And the CBDT would have never told him about it?
M.S. Nair,
Palakkad, Kerala

The Opposition has joined hands with Aristotle, who had postulated that a tragic hero must fall through his own tragic error. Notwithstanding the argument that Ms. Chidambaram need not take Mr. Chidambaram's permission in professional matters, her action will foster nepotism at the highest echelons of political power. Mr. Chidambaram should tender an apology to both the Houses and move on.

Rex S. Arul,
Smyrna, Georgia

If holding brief for a government department of which the spouse is the head is unethical, it is a moot question whether the person can appear in a case against the government as the lawyer is not paid by the government.

S.S. Rajagopalan,
Chennai

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