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April      Last updated: April 29,  5:00 p.m.

Vivek

D.N. Sinha, Hyderabad : According to press reports West Bengal is one of the most poorly administered States in the country. Comment.

-It seems the Marxists believe in the adage-‘that government is best which governs the least’-so there is almost no government in that State.

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Why should the poor people of India bear V.P. Singh's medical treatment cost of six crore?

-It is a sad fact that the health of our VIPs is also at variance with the health of our economy.

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Our so-called secular parties said the Bihar Govenor's attempt to make Nitish Kumar Chief Minister was murder of democracy, but is not Laloo's jungle raj murder of democracy?

-For the political animals of the Congress Laloo's jungle now seems to have become the centre of civilisation.

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Has not the Congress government made India a poor country?

-Successive Congress governments thought the magic wand of slogans like Quit Poverty, garibi hatao and garibi mitao was enough to make India a rich country.

Lakshminarayana, Secunderabad : Mera Bharat Mahan is embattled on every front, from sports to population. What do you say?

-Mera Bharat is certainly mahan, but first India has to become Bharat in order to win all these battles.

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How far was President Clinton's visit to Pakistan justified?

-The Americans are calling Pakistan a "failing state", but the visit shows that nothing succeeds like failure.

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What do you think of our elders approving of and even encouraging their children's imitation of film heroes?

-I would call it a helpless effort to bridge the generation gap between real life and reel life.

M.D. Parthasarathy, Bangalore: Our Home Minister at the Centre said the Gujarat Government's lifting the ban on RSS was not illegal; then does that not mean the ban itself was illegal?

-As many as 15 high court judgements have said so, but high courts and low politics are at variance.

P.R. Akula, Secunderabad : What is the difference between education and literacy?

-Literacy is an instrument for an educated brain, but it is not necessary for an educated mind.

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What is the difference between civilisation and modernisation?

-Civilisation is the soul, which is eternal, while modernisation is its garment, which is discarded when a modern time gives way to a more modern time.

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What is the most pertinent lesson for our democracy?

-To learn how to guard our democracy despite the proximity of countries that have rejected democracy.

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The Gujarat Government order on RSS was reportedly taken back "in larger national interest". Comment.

-This larger national interest happened to coincide with a narrower political interest.

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Jayalalitha says events in Bihar show that the BJP alliance is unscrupulous in its quest for power and pelf. Comment.

-That is possible only if Jayalalitha taught the BJP all her tricks when she was part of its alliance.

Shrirang J. Godbole, Pune : Would you say the withdrawal of the Gujarat order on RSS is a victory of the Roman brigade's crusade?

-I would call it a victory, albeit temporary of Indo-Roman pseudo-secularism over Hindu nationalism.

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Is it true that the graph of Shri Vajpayee's popularity among Hindus is going down?

-The graphic truth is that the BJP declared at Chennai that popularity among Hindus is not the same as and is less important than popularity among Indians.

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Laloo said calling Rabri to form government was victory of democracy. Comment.

-According to Laloo democracy means government of the jungle, for the jungle and by the jungle.

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Will Gayatri Mantra be banned under secular rule?

-Some time back a high court had ruled that Gayatri Mantra was not religious, but then a low secular rule and a high court ruling are different things.

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Tavleen Singh said Nathuram Godse was in the Congress for four years. What does Mani Shankar Aiyar have to say to that?

-He might say where ignorance (of history) is bliss it's a folly to be wise.

Prabhakar Pradhan, Mumbai: What do you think of the "vision" document signed by the US and India?

-It is the first time Americans are getting a vision instead of setting their sight on something.

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Some Americans say Clinton should have visited India two years earlier. What do you say?

-Better late than bilkul never.

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Can we now say Indo-American relations have now permanently become better?

-In politics the only thing permanent is its impermanence.