All necessary security measures should be put in place, at least from now on, so that paper leaks, court hearings, protests, administrative decisions, demands for accountability and the like become a thing of the past. While healthy competition, even if stiff, is welcome, it is unfair to subject medical aspirants to such teething troubles even before they make their deep medical plunge through the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), which is supposed to be the ultimate test of their merit and mettle. There should be no scope for man-made manipulations that enable non-meritorious candidates to find shortcuts to becoming doctors and entering the profession. One can well imagine the adverse consequences of unworthy and undeserving persons becoming doctors and treating the public. Let us turn a new page and focus on producing good doctors.

R. Sampath,

Chennai

Perks, misplaced priorities

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s recent announcement to provide brand-new luxury cars and a monthly vehicle allowance of ₹75,000, plus additional staffing perks to all 234 MLAs is a staggering display of misplaced priorities. The vast majority of the elected representatives already own multiple personal vehicles or have ample logistical means. Handing out luxury State perks and unconditional monthly cash flows to affluent politicians while ordinary citizens struggle with inflation, crumbling local infrastructure, and unmet basic welfare needs shows a shocking disconnect from ground realities. To spend crores of taxpayer money on luxury upgrades for sitting politicians, under the guise of helping “humble backgrounds”, is an insult to the public (“All T.N. MLAs to get car and assistant for constituency work”, August 20). At a time when the State treasury must be guarded and prioritised for public health, education, and employment generation, spending crores of rupees on redundant vehicular luxuries for lawmakers is fiscally reckless. Public money belongs to the public, not to the comfort of already-privileged politicians.

R. Sivakumar,

Chennai

Word ‘industry’ redefined

A substantial portion of Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer’s judgment has been preserved for all pending disputes. The majority has held that the triple-test theory requires reconsideration. At the heart of the controversy, however, is Justice Krishna Iyer’s judgment and the philosophy that informed it. It is a matter of some relief that his broad-based judgment, which provided a forum for the working class, has been preserved for pending litigation. It is unfortunate, however, that the benefit of this liberal approach has not been extended to the millions of toiling workers for whom Justice Krishna Iyer was a beacon of hope. It is also refreshing that Justice B.V. Nagarathna has upheld the principles enunciated by Justice Krishna Iyer in the Bangalore Water Supply case and held that the reference itself was unnecessary. At the same time, one must take note of the damage caused by the definition of “industry” under the Industrial Relations Code. The Code adopts a highly conservative definition that excludes a number of activities, thereby leaving sections of the working class vulnerable and without adequate legal protection. This is a moment for the working class to organise rather than depend on legislative prescriptions or judicial interpretations for their survival, dignity and progress. The battle lines have been drawn.

N.G.R. Prasad,

Chennai