Date:12/02/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/12/stories/2007021202451003.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Crisis of governance

The article `Nithari and the system of governance' (Feb. 9) has highlighted the crisis of governance. Although one may not agree with the author that the Nithari killings have revealed the fragility of the rule of law in India, such incidents damage our claims about our democratic polity. Democracy is more than adult suffrage, representation, and elections. If the police, the judiciary, and the administration fail, the very purpose of democracy is defeated.

Rup Narayan Das,
New Delhi

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The sense of outrage over the Nithari killings must be positively utilised to bring some permanent changes to our policing systems. An independent commission on corruption is a good idea, but the existing government and non-government machinery should also be put to use.

It should be made possible to register a valid complaint without going to a police station. All gram panchayats should be equipped to register such complaints. Select NGOs too could be authorised to do so.

S. Jathindra,
Maravanthe, Karnataka