An examination of the landholdings of those farmers who were unwilling to sell their holdings to facilitate the Tata car factory in Singur suggests that only a very small number among them had substantial holdings and livelihoods tied to them. What then was the real reason for the protests in Singur led by many "unwilling farmers"?

The implementation of decentralisation reform as embodied in the 73rd and 74th amendments of the Constitution has suffered from complete negligence. The two recent articles by Oommen and Sivaramakrishnan have highlighted the inexplicable attitudes of the finance commissions and the judiciary towards decentralisation.

The national goals of removal of all forms of social injustice, inclusive development and removal of income and non-income poverty will remain elusive unless we enrich the practice of local democracy.