The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Priyanka’s jail visit

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Friday, Apr 18, 2008
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Priyanka’s jail visit

In demanding that the Tamil Nadu government prosecute Priyanka Vadra for entering the Vellore jail, allegedly without permission, to meet Nalini, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, Subramanian Swamy is barking up the wrong tree. He should train his guns at the real culprits — senior bureaucrats and others in charge of the jail administration who appear to have willingly agreed to the blatant breach of rules.

V. Nagarajan,

Chennai

* * *

If no official permission was taken from the jail superintendent, as claimed by the prison authorities, and Priyanka’s name was not entered in the visitors’ register, how was she allowed to spend so much time with the convict? We know from media reports that the Intelligence Bureau and the SPG were involved in arranging the secret visit. This was obviously in violation of prison rules. Priyanka is not a VVIP — she does not occupy any high government or political post. She is not entitled to any privilege just because she is the daughter of the Congress president and UPA chairperson.

Her visit cannot be explained as purely personal as it was made possible only after top level official interference and ignoring of rules. It reinforces that in our country, people who have political, money and muscle power can do anything.

K. Sivaraman,

Chennai

* * *

It is now clear that Priyanka visited the Vellore jail and met Nalini, a convict. It is surprising that the prison records are silent about the meeting. The visit is one more instance of the bureaucracy succumbing to political pressure.

K. Ramachandran,

Coimbatore

* * *

Two questions that come to mind are: who would have been held responsible if some unfortunate incident had taken place in the prison on the day Priyanka visited it, given that she is under high security cover? The State government’s image would have been shattered had something untoward happened. The other question is whether a common man can do what she did.

R. Gurumurthy,

Chennai

* * *

Priyanka’s entry into the jail without making proper entry in the jail records cannot be treated as a gross violation of prison rules if the security threats faced by her are taken into consideration. One hopes the press and the public will stop blowing the issue out of proportion.

M.C. Vijai Shanker,

Chennai

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