Abdul Kalam’s proposal that that government should include his pet plan, Providing Urban Amenities to Rural Areas (PURA), in its 11th Five Year Plan.

— Vitull K. Gupta

Bhatinda

Poll rap

• I agree with the thought-provoking editorial ‘Hill state lows and highs’ that says “the Congress would do well to resist the easy comforts of the anti-incumbency plea”. Now after the twin defeats in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, it should go in for some serious ‘introspection’. In fact, its president Sonia Gandhi should have exhibited courage and owned moral responsibility for the party’s poor performance. It should be a matter of great concern for the Congress, as it is losing one state after another. Perhaps it failed to read the voter’s mind and raked up the wrong issues at the wrong time and place. At the same time, the BJP should not get carried away by the verdicts in its favour. Its overconfidence may land it on the wrong side of the political battle in the near future. It should remember that it has miles to go before “reaching Delhi” again.

— S.K. Gupta

Delhi

Attack on charity

• Recent reports of attacks on churches and Christian missionaries in Orissa are very unfortunate. The yeomen service of the missions for the betterment of the adivasis and the downtrodden in society — as is evident by the works of the Missionaries of Charity and others — speaks volumes for their spirit of selfless service. Targeting them over flimsy issues is something our country can do well without.

— Pachu Menon

Margao, Goa

Umpiring solution

• Here is an idea that should take care of bad umpiring decisions. When an umpire disagrees with an appeal, he should allow a replay if the captain of the fielding team insists on it and the decision will be reviewed. To avoid frivolous appeals, every rejected appeal after the first three in an innings will invite a penalty for the fielding team at a progressively higher rate.

— Y.G. Chouksey

Pune

Sydney fireworks

• Brilliant hundreds by V.V.S. (very, very special) Laxman and Sachin Tendulkar lit the Sydney ground as they fired the Australian attack to all corners of the ground. It was batting at its very best and India should force a win.

— S.N. Kabra

Mumbai