Letters to The Editor

Disappointing Budget

The Union Budget has disappointed the poor and the middle class. No provision has been made to increase employment opportunities. Disinvestment and sale of government assets is going to increase the monopoly of private players. It seems that the government is selling assets and making money to run the nation. Additional cess has been levied on already skyrocketing prices of essential commodities. The poor are becoming poorer and the rich are garnering more assets.

Chandan Kumar Nath

Sorbhog.

ULFA does not represent Axomiyas

The menace of ULFA in 1990s crippled Assam in every sphere. They indulged in kidnapping, bomb blasts, etc which pushed the State into darkness. The so-called representatives of Axomiya were in fact a curse and they scripted a dark chapter for the State. Through ransom and extortion, the self-styled liberators of Asom enjoyed lavish life in neighbouring Bangladesh and the people back in the State had to crave for livelihood as many companies shifted their offices, godowns and industries outside the State. Now again the ULFA has raised its ugly head by indulging in kidnapping of two officials of a drilling company. One of the abducted persons hails from Bihar and the other of Assam. For ULFA leaders' kind information, the real Axomiyas never harm innocent. This apart, the ULFA doesn't represent the wish and demands of the Axomiyas. Through your esteemed daily I request the leadership of the ULFA to immediately release the duo unconditionally.

Joel Goyari,

Tangla.

Registration of political parties

Out of 2,301 political parties registered with the Election Commission till 2019 with 52 more parties knocking the doors of the Commission demanding registration, very few have actually contested any election so far. Many political parties are registered simply for whitening black money where currently contributions made to and received by political parties are both exempted from Income Tax. Some cases may also be there where some highly over ambitious ones may float political parties just for trying their luck, though in vain, in the political system.

The rule should be that only an interim registration may be provided to new political parties. In case, a registered political party does not field some stipulated percentage of candidates out of total constituencies where elections are to be held, then their registration may be automatically cancelled. A new-to-be registered political party must declare in the registration form about the elections it desires to contest for the first time. Even those non-serious political parties who might not have contested any poll in last say three years should be de-registered. Discouraging registration of non-serious political parties will not only avoid misuse of tax exemption, but will also result in minimizing vote splitters.

However, the best is to abolish tax exemption on contributions made to or received by political parties. After all, the revenue so earned will be available for national development and public welfare for which the Constitution has provided poll system based on political parties. Even rules for being recognized political parties at Central or State levels should also be tightened to pave way for an ideal system for just two or three national or State-level political parties.

Subhash Chandra Agrawal,

Delhi.