Getting real live on TV

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: Headless Chicken is right that Indian youth (‘Alternate reality show’, March 4) do not pay sufficient attention to Parliament, unless maybe when it goes into a flap over remarks by Indian diplomats. Indian youth are busy with MTV Roadies, which is even more divisive in intent than Big Brother. But fear not, this “music” channel has fallen far behind Indian alternatives. This is the wonder of competition in the marketplace. There is also a TV commercial of a germicide called Domex (pronounced ‘dome ex’) sold by an MNC. It features little green animation germs led by one addressed as ‘jahapanah’. It also has competition from Indian alternatives. The youth are not dumb. They will be as interested in the composition of the next Parliament as all responsible citizens of the Indian Union.

—Rajesh Singh Lucknow

Please-all exercise

The Union Budget 2008 is a please-all exercise because elections are just months away (‘Opening the farmgate’, Mar 1). However, the quantum of concessions offered will result in ballooning of the deficit. How does the FM propose to bridge the deficit? Naturally, future budgets will be laden with more taxes. Much is made about relief to farmers. But the Budget doesn’t propose any realistic measure to increase the income of farmers and make them self-sufficient.

—Mahesh Kapasi New Delhi

Moneylender raj

What farmers need is fair prices for their produceand farm inputs, anything more than mere loan writeoffs. Such sops give them no respite from private moneylenders.