Apropos your cover story (Sense of a Riot, Sep 23), amidst all the gore and hatred of Muzaffarnagar, there were indeed a few reports of the sort of compassion that can save our nation. Bijender Singh, the Jat pradhan of Kharad village, sheltered 150 Muslim families in his home in the middle of the communal mayhem all around. He and his gentle wife fed the families with their own rations. Some violent villagers bayed for attacking the house, but the heavy-set Bijender said he would have been prepared even for that. This is our India; this is our Bharat.
R. Saroja, Mumbai
Muslims have to realise that given the realities of the current world order, it’s a survival of the fittest. And by that I don’t mean muscle power but education and a smart adaptability to seize opportunity whenever it presents itself. Mainstream education and hard work are a must and those Muslims who have pursued it have no reason for fear or despair. They don’t have to depend on the pittance and freebies thrown at them by their political exploiters.
S. Veera, Bangalore
The one thing these riots have proved is that Akhilesh Yadav is a big letdown, a poor copy of dad Mulayam. Despite being young and foreign-educated, he has been a failure and he certainly has not been able to come into his own. All in all, a big letdown for the youth, in whose name we invest so much in the country.
Col R.D. Singh (retd), Ambala Cantt
It is amazing how the Centre has let Lucknow get away with these engineered communal riots. Had this been Gujarat or Tamil Nadu, its reaction would have been far more virulent. This is only because the Congress-led upa is in the icu and the Samajwadi Party is providing it the vital oxygen to survive.
C.K. Subramaniam, Mumbai
Anti-Indian international forces can possibly take advantage of the communal hatred political parties are fomenting for political gains to weaken India. They won’t even need to send terrorists to India. We will do ourselves enough harm on our own.
G. Anuplal, Bangalore
Politicians, if they really are interested in all-round development of people, should probe the reasons for underdevelopment and work towards removing the impediments responsible for inequality among citizens. Minority appeasement is not the answer. Help should be extended on the basis of need, not language or religion.
Subrata Nandy, on e-mail
Do our politicians make the calculation that every Muslim life lost is also a vote gone?
Rajneesh Batra, New Delhi
The only hope for Muslims, as I see it, is not to depend on politicians for their safety and upliftment.
A.K. Ghai, Mumbai
In a political struggle, democratic or otherwise, the general mass of people are always an expendable commodity.
R.V. Subramanian, Gurgaon
Come election season, and cheap politics comes into play. The Muzaffarnagar riots are only another example.
Mahesh Kumar Kapasi, Delhi
