New page in J-K story

AFTER decades of rule or misrule, if you like by the National Conference in Jammu-Kashmir, the State has a new Government, the People's Democratic Party-Congress Party coalition.

How the change will affect the State and the J-K people remains to be seen.

The objectives and intentions as noted in the PDP-Congress Common Minimum Programme do seem to have the seeds of stable, popular and effective governance.

The question is, Will the coalition Government have the gumption to desist from small-time party politics and concentrate instead on measures that ensure steady politico-economic development, for a return to cultural attitudes of creative tolerance which used to be described once with some pride as "Kashmiriyat"? Midstream By Soudamini Vasuki A Gandhian legacy Like a true Indian I would feel grateful to Gandhiji, not only for making me take my first breath in this world in a free India, but also for giving the nation a holiday to celebrate his birth day which happens to be mine too.

Right from the wee hours of that morning, I kept happily answering phone calls - local, STD and ISD, showering wishes on me.

Friends, relatives, early morning co-walkers et al, wishing me.

But for the holiday that day, may be they would have sent me just cards or e-cards.

Midstream By Kalpana Sharma