China’s New Strategy
China is suppressing the Indo-China border issues. This is obvious and unsurprising to expect from the Chinese side. China is cognisant that the Pentagon provides India with satellite images of areas transgressed by PLA and its troops. Building near Line of Actual Control (LAC) at regular intervals is going on. Beijing wants to avoid intervention from the West. It is in the interest of both sides to disengage the troops and avoid escalation of tensions at LAC, but after a series of events, including the renaming of places and abduction of 17-year old Arunachal boy, China does not seem to be in a good mood for de-escalation.
Nazeer Ahmed Kazi
Prof Secab
Vijaypura, Karnataka
Amendments to IAS Posting Rules
The proposed amendments to the rules of the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) by the Centre are against the spirit of federalism. With the amendment, the Centre wants to break the state’s hold over all India service officers working under them particularly in matters related to deputation to the Centre.
Of late the issue of deputation has got political colour.
The centre and state governments that are ruled by rival parties are crossing swords over the postings of few IAS or IPS officers of their liking, vitiating the nonpartisan atmosphere that is supposed to prevail.
Now the Centre wants to take away the choice available to a state and to an individual officer regarding deputation.
The central government has introduced lateral entries to fill the same vacancies. It can increase the recruitment of officers directly.
Instead, it wants to go against the principles of cooperative federalism, may be with some hidden agenda.
Dr. DVG Sankararao
Vizianagaram
Andhra Pradesh
The Demise of Desmond Tutu
The demise of Archbishop Desmond Tutu is indeed sad news and a loss for the entire world. He was not only an anti-apartheid leader but human rights activist par excellence.
Tutu was a strong voice against racial discrimination. He boldly shared a platform with anti-apartheid crusader Nelson Mandela in rebelling against the South African government.
In the history of modern South Africa, his name will be written as boldly as that of Mandela.
Sanjay Chopra,
Ludhiana, Punjab
Bulbul-e-Hind is No More
Legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar has passed away on February 6. She was born in a Marathi family in Indore on September 28, 1929. The eldest daughter of Deenanatha Mangeshkar, Lata was noted for her melodious voice.
It has been noted that she had recorded thirty thousand songs in her lifetime and won a number of Awards in her life. One of her first major hits was “ Aayega Aanewala”, a song in movie ‘Mahal’, by Kamal Amrohi. She is no more but her song will be never be forgotten.
Chowdhry Nisar Ahmed,
Noorullah pet, Ambur (Tamil Nadu)