Letters to Editor – The Hindu BusinessLine

Political donations

The news ‘Unrecognised parties got ₹10,000 cr in donations’ (March 21), is indicative of the malaise of black money in our politics and economy. Startling, the statistics might appear to ordinary people, but not to many of our career politicians. Many have come to politics only because of the ‘lure of lucre’.

The political will to cleanse this Aegean stable is seen wanting and that is why it thrives, threatening the very notion of democracy. The onus is heavily on the ruling party to ensure that transparency and accountability are upheld. But that appears too big an ask, given the high stakes.

People should shed their myopic political bias to ponder why anyone would give huge sums of money to any political party or politician? Democracy needs eternal vigilance. Lowering guard on such vital aspects like financing political agendas is detrimental to the very notion of democracy, free and fair elections.

Jose Abraham

Vaikom, Kerala

Pension scheme

This refers to ‘Central government employees can opt for Unified Pension Scheme till June 30’ (March 21). Government employees appointed prior to 2003 April are eligible to get monthly pension of half of their basic pay with DA after retirement. Those we were appointed after 2003 April are eligible to get a lumpsum under the Compensatory Pension Scheme. Under the new Unified Pension Scheme an employee is offered a guaranteed minimum pension of ₹10,000 subject to employees making a contribution of 10 per cent of their basic pay and DA every month. When a new scheme is introduced, the government must stop the old scheme without giving option for the employees to choose either of the schemes.

P Victor Selvaraj

Palayamkottai, TN

Trump’s parleys

Recent Trump-Putin talks have had the following outcomes: Russia has bounced back to the global negotiating table without conceding much. The proposed ice-hockey matches between the US and Russia in this background amount to a cruel joke on Ukraine. Disregard for NATO and Ukraine are too evident to be missed.

While the Trump Administration was talking since January 20th about full- fledged ceasefire, Putin merely talked about not attacking Ukraine’s energy infrastructure.

In West Asia, fresh attacks on Gaza by Israel killing 400 people and the US’s attacks on Yemen and Houthis have rendered the facade of cessation of hostilities untenable.

Angara Venkata Girija Kumar

Chennai

Victory for the elderly

A historic ruling by the Madras High Court has empowered the elderly with new strength. The court clarified that if children or heirs fail to care for and serve their elderly parents, the latter have the full legal right to reclaim the property they had gifted. An elderly woman had transferred her property to her son through a gift deed, but after her son’s death, her daughter-in-law began mistreating her. The court ruled in favour of the woman, stating that in the absence of care and respect, the gift deed can be revoked. This verdict is a milestone in protecting the dignity of the elderly.

RK Jain Arijeet

Barwani, MP