• The patient in the ICU of L.K. Advani’s description in his speech finally managed to survive, what with his own partymen cross-voting and abstaining. Quite a reversal, in fact. The two-day ‘Indian Parliamentary League’ (IPL) was very interesting with all the masala of a block-buster. Shades of match-fixing too were visible, with actual cash brought on the field. Manmohan Singh graduated from economist to politician. The Left could not read Sonia Gandhi’s googly and the BJP was yorked by the SP, round and square. Mayawati and her fans, including Chandrababu Naidu, were knocked down by beemers and bouncers from the opposition without putting up a fight. The Parliament truly was an entertaining battlefield, beautifully covered by the media.

— S.N. Kabra Mumbai

Rostrum rhetoric

• Omar Abdullah, in his stirring speech in favour of the trust vote, has ably articulated the sentiments of progressive Indian Muslims who want to be in the mainstream. I have a word of advice for Omar about the management of the political party that he heads. Time and circumstances have changed significantly. Unfortunately the management style of the party remains feudal, with no effort being made to develop new leaders. Omar should publicly state that he and his father will develop a new crop of leadership in the party. Only then will he gain credibility with the people of Kashmir and be seen as genuinely working for them. Else, the rhetoric is hollow.

— Kapil Kaul Gurgaon

Trauma centre

• The trauma of democracy unfolded on Tuesday in its Indian temple — where the corrupt priests, ranting and raving, gave us another low in our parliamentary history. The wads of notes taken out of bags in the sanctum sanctorum have sent shock waves across all the sections of Indian society. It is a shame for us Indians that these, the scum of society, are our representatives.

... contd.