This refers to Latha Jishnu’s ‘It's a stink and a powerful one’ (Aug 15/16). It is not for the first time that the power of money has been demonstrated so unequivocally. When we had the ‘licence permit raj’, industrialists like Dhirubhai Ambani were often in a position to influence the policy. Hence the concern shown by Ms Jishnu can be very well understood. However, the solution does not lie with either the decent politicians or businessmen (whose tribes are vanishing any way) — it is diligent citizens who have to assert themselves and take control. Until that happens, our country, and for that matter almost all democratic countries, will continue to suffer and a genuine vibrant and caring democracy will remain a distant dream.
Narendra M Apte, Pune
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