Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Innumerable goodies

It looks like it is Christmas time in Tamil Nadu, with the Dravidian parties donning the role of Santa Claus and offering innumerable goodies! I wonder why none of the parties has promised good governance.

Srimathi Venkatachari,
Chennai

* * *

The Election Commission should declare promises of free power, subsidised foodgrains, waiver of bank loans, and abolition of taxes, which have a bearing on the exchequer, as corrupt electoral practices.

P.V. Maiya,
Bangalore

* * *

The DMK election manifesto is a clear case of politics taking precedence over economics. As a seasoned politician and able administrator, party chief M. Karunanidhi ought to have given priority to employment generation, poverty alleviation, and safe drinking water instead of promising freebies matching the largesse of his rivals.

J. Anantha Padmanabhan,
Srirangam, T.N.

* * *

Is it possible to give quality rice at Rs.2 a kg to all ration-card holders, a colour television set to all households that do not possess one, and two acres of land to all the landless poor? Is it not a fact that the promises have been made out of desperation? Will the DMK give an undertaking that if any one of the promises is not implemented after it assumes power, it will step down?

T.M.P. Nathan,
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

* * *

The DMK should know this is not 1967 to woo voters with tall, difficult-to-implement promises. The literacy level between then and now has vastly improved and the people judge parties by their performance, not promises.

G. Ramachandran,
Tiruchi, T.N.

* * *

The manifesto reminds me of Shakespeare's words in As You Like It: "O, that's a brave man! he writes brave verses, speaks brave words, swears brave oaths, and breaks them bravely ... "

M. Jagadeesan,
Karaikal, Pondicherry

* * *

Even those living in abject poverty will not believe the promise of one kg of rice for Rs.2. Such hollow promises only serve to undermine whatever little credibility political parties have.

C.G. Senthilkumar,
Davis, California

* * *

Is it the Government's business to supply television sets and gas stoves to the people, and waive loans at the cost of the exchequer? We can soon expect another party to promise waiver of all credit card loans! While each party is promising the sun and the moon, we have schools where students squat on the floor to write their examinations.

Veda Iyer,
Chennai

* * *

The sops-oriented manifesto hardly offers a permanent solution to people's problems. We do not know how long politicians intend cheating us with such promises.

J.R. Edwin Prakash,
Chennai

* * *

The electorate is not as gullible as politicians would like to believe.

Gaurav Sobti,
Ambala, Haryana

* * *

Can the DMK alleviate poverty by giving colour television sets to the poor? Resources should not be wasted on such non-productive schemes. The ultimate sufferer will be the common man, as taxes will be increased to mobilise resources. Responsible politics is the need of the hour.

A. Murugan,
Tuticorin, T.N.

* * *

Is there any law that says it is mandatory for the ruling party to fulfil its election promises? Next we can expect some party to promise it will reduce the voting age to five years if elected to power.

N. Gopalan,
Bangalore

* * *

The practice of making tall promises has reached a stage where some control needs to be exercised by the Election Commission on the whole business of releasing manifestos. If financial outlays are involved, the manifestos should be in the form of sworn affidavits filed with the Commission, clearly indicating the time frame in which these promises will be honoured and the means by which the schemes would be funded.

R. Vasudevan,
Chennai

* * *

The DMK manifesto is a combination of both social safety-net measures and developmental ones. Unlike the most improbable and far-fetched issues such as nationalisation and linking of inter-State rivers, which require the consensus and cooperation of other States, the promise of rice at Rs.2 a kg, free colour television set for every family, gas stoves for poor women, two acres of land to the landless poor, etc., are achievable for a State Government wedded to accountability and transparency. Why not look at the manifesto positively?

R.M. Manoharan,
Chennai

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