This refers to the OSM cover (Oct 17). Outlook deserves a round of applause for recognising and appreciating the luminaries actively engaged with the social media. It was really ‘awesome’ to know more about them. If the social network platform is to be considered a replica of democracy, politicians can be said to be its beneficiaries. Their direct interaction with the public through social media has proved to be enormously effective and influential. However, while enjoying the limelight of social media to reach their followers, they should realise that most Indians don’t have access to the net.
P.A. Jacob, Muscat
Far from being the gospel of online ahimsa, social media is an active exercise in online himsa. Go to Facebook and Twitter. Wars are being fought with people showering abuses at each other and trolls posting threats. Today, the virtual is as real as it can get. This is dangerous. Policy makers must prevail in some way to nip this aggression in the bud, else our pluralist culture will be lost forever.
Rakesh Agrawal, Dehradun
The award of OSM Journalist of the Year to Nikhil Wagle was an inspired one (Without Fear or Favour, Oct 17). He will be remembered for his historic, dynamic and courageous pre-poll tweet that he’d walk naked on the road if Narendra Modi got to be PM. We still await his promise. He lost a strategic war as a Twitter warrior, yet still managed to win a medal from Outlook!
Pramod Srivastava, Delhi
This is about the story on the criminal-politician nexus (Everybody Loves a Don Who Brings in the Votes, Oct 24). These days, in almost all elections, some marked netas are given tickets. Parties must get rid of ‘daagi’ netas, but they don’t, as our laws don’t demand as much. It’s the fault of our rulebook that one can’t stop such netas from contesting. The BJP claims to be a clean party and says that since charges against its netas aren’t proved, they are not tainted. But the public thinks otherwise.
M. Kumar, Delhi
The attitude of the Supreme Court vis-a-vis the BCCI is evident from a directive that prevents the Board from releasing funds to its affiliates till affidavits are filed that all recommendations of the Lodha Committee are unconditionally accepted (Reversing The Paperweight, Oct 17). But the recommendations aren’t laws. It’s up to the BCCI to accept and implement those in part or in their entirety. Can the SC force anything on the Board? This is an uncomfortable question the court has to answer.
K.S. Jayatheertha, Bangalore
This refers to Reversing the Paperweight (October 17), your story on the BCCI. If members of the BCCI have broken the law, the Supreme Court can, of course, take action against them. But how can the court rewrite the BCCI’s constitution on its own terms despite having nothing to do with its functioning? Does former Chief Justice of India R.M. Lodha want to run the BCCI?
Aditya Mookerjee, Belgaum
BCCI, the world’s richest sports body, faces charges of corruption, political arrogance, nepotism, conflicts of interest and has, over so many years, set a bad precedence. Now is the chance to rid it of the rot. Let the era of Lalit Modi and Srinivasan not be repeated again.
C. Chandrasekaran, Madurai
Outlook’s story on solar panels being viable again was well timed (While the Sun Shines, Oct 17). It touched upon the issue of the power crisis and provided a global context. Countries are innovating on energy in various ways and among these, solar panels seem to be the cheapest. Plus, the source is perennial. Though R&D in providing cheap panels hasn’t picked up in India, we should soon follow the rest of the world on this, for the age of non-conventional energy is upon us.
Ranjit Sinha, Delhi
I reflected on the Hyderabad Diary (Oct 17) by V. Sunkanna. Truly, the welfare of students doesn’t matter as much. The only thing left to do is establish unions with Ambedkar as their middle names. Using the trappings of caste to fight the injustices carried out in its name won’t work. Undoubtedly, Dalits have been targeted in the past, but such is not the case anymore. They should be integrated into the mainstream, and care should be taken that they don’t use the ‘prejudice’ against them as a stick to beat all and sundry with. Caste shouldn’t be used to create a rift in society, among students. The very militant use of Ambedkar itself reeks of exclusion.
Sandeep, Godavarikhani
Wish the social media is used as a 'fixing tool' rather than a 'killing weapon' in these times.
Rajneesh Batra, New Delhi
I am responding to Upendra Baxi’s column on the judiciary (Disquiet on Tilak Marg, Oct 10). The kith & kin of higher judiciary minting money and becoming multi-millionaires is as big an issue as the cozy club of judicial appointments. When a promising, hard-working and ambitious lawyer is in competition with a mediocre novice who is a judge’s relative, the latter’s obvious advantage is dispiriting, to say the least.
Rajiv Chopra, Jammu
Apropos Neighbours, Allies Friends (Oct 17), I would like to first congratulate the PM for his bold, immediate and befitting reply to Pakistan after its unprovoked attack on Uri (J&K) garrison. After discussing the issue at length, the PM, along with the council of ministers, decided to initiate adequate measures to ensure that terrorists from PoK are refraining from committing atrocities within India. As per preventive measures, the external affairs minister addressed the UN general Assembly and apprised them of the continuous border skirmishes perpetrated by Pakistan supported terror groups. The entire body, including the US, condemned the incident and opined to declare Pakistan a terrorist country. Even China, an important ally of Pakistan, remained non-committal. However, the toughest jolt for Pakistan was the decision of member countries of SAARC to not attend the summit in Pakistan. It is high time that Pakistan shun violence and concentrate on the development of its people instead.
Lt Col Ranjit Sinha, Kolkata
This refers to your story on “whose Onam is it anyway?” (The Eternal Return of King Nobody, September 26). It is admirable that the BJP has succeeded in making some inroads into the chronically and incorrigibly leftist Kerala. But one is at a loss to understand Amit Shah’s attempt to rechristen Onam as “Vamana Jayanthi”. For centuries, the people of Kerala, from all castes and sects, have been celebrating Onam as the annual return of their much-loved, legendary king Mahabali (popularly, Maveli). Folklore has it that when Vamana asked for three steps of land, the unsuspecting, munificent king readily granted the wish. The cunning Brahmin measured the entire kingdom in two steps and asked where he could take his third step. Realising that the one standing in front of him was no ordinary Brahmin, but the almighty himself, the humble king offered his head and thus kept his promise. Impressed by the generosity and humility of the king, Vamana offered him a boon in return. Mahabali said he wanted to visit his people once a year, which was readily granted. So, each year on Onam, Mahabali returns to his people, who celebrate his homecoming and remember how under his rule all were equal, there was no cheating, dishonesty or crime, and there was prosperity and happiness all around. It is quite unwise to call the occasion “Vamana Jayanthi”. Firstly, even the most erudite pundit cannot rewrite centuries-old folklore, leave alone a political party or politician. Secondly, when the BJP is trying to get a foothold in Kerala, which is admittedly a difficult task for any rightist party, it is not prudent to swim against the tide.
P.V. Iyer, Bangalore
This refers to the interview with the Pakistan high commissioner Abdul Basit (“Pakistan never…the Situation”, Oct 17). It is amazing that Outlook actually thought it would get any honest replies from a representative of a country that has been harbouring terrorists to bleed India for the past three decades. The Pak government denied India’s terror strikes on its soil. It is childish to expect the Pakistan diplomat to admit the other way. A few weeks back, The Indian Express published a report with eyewitness accounts of the strikes. It is not difficult to understand why Pakistan would deny that the strikes ever took place. Admission would have exposed the nexus between the Pak army and terrorist groups and substantiated Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism. After removing all signs of the surgical strikes, Pakistan took international media to the LoC to prove that nothing significant had happened. The fact is that the success of Modi’s diplomacy in globally isolating Pakistan on the issue of terror and the unbelievable switching of New Delhi from soft and passive to hard and proactive has badly shaken up the Pakistan establishment and their illegitimate allies—the jehadis.
M.C. Joshi, Lucknow
Apropos Outlook’s October 10 cover story (The Midnight Surgery), the surgical strike response taken by our military is the right response to the Uri terror attacks. It was admirable that our DGMO informed his Pakistan counterpart that this plan had been undertaken to thwart the plans of infiltrators to cross over for terrorist acts. All those diplomatic ways to tame Pakistan have not worked till now. The surgical strike, in retaliation to the terror attacks, was the only option left with India. PM Modi has succeeded in consolidating his political relevance and even the Opposition has backed the government’s decision. Hopefully, there will be no temptation to turn this military manoeuvre into a political move for electoral gains.
L.J.S. Panesar, Amritsar
When the US had eliminated dreaded Al-Qaeda mastermind Osama bin Laden, the world had been appreciative of the US government’s actions. Similarly, for the surgical strikes, we all must appreciate our brave armymen and also the NDA government under the leadership of Narendra Modi.
Jagdip H. Vaishnav, Mumbai
It is shocking to see Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal scream in chorus with Pakistan, asking for proof from the Indian government of the surgical strikes after the Uri attack. Taking full advantage of the situation, the media in Pakistan showered praises on Kejriwal for his comments. Furthermore, top leaders of the Congress added fuel to fire—Sanjay Nirupam called the strikes fake! What are we to do with such leaders who cast shadows of doubt over such pertinent interests of the nation?
Salil Gewali, Meghalaya
I am of the opinion that Pakistan wants to hold talks with India. They perhaps feel that India doesn’t want a dialogue because there is nothing India wants from Pakistan in relation to Kashmir. The continuous refrain of Pakistan that India doesn’t want to hold talks seems to suggest they really want to talk. Pakistan would want a scenario where India will want to give and take.
Aditya Mukherjee, Belgaum
This refers to your story on the conflict between Delhi’s L-G and its elected government (Big Brother’s Bearhug, October 17). “Elected” governments keep getting chided by the courts. Laws enacted by elected governments, and their actions, are often overturned by the courts on various grounds. Can an elected government be allowed to override constitutional norms? The story reads like an AAP pamphlet and journalist-turned-AAP-leader Ashutosh seems to be the writer’s idol.
Ankush Poddar, Calcutta
This is about the article on how the AAP government in Delhi is being sought to be undermined. But what has Kejriwal done till now with the amazing majority Delhiites gave him? He has a one-point programme it seems—‘to hell with Delhi and to hell with Modi’. His daily agenda is to fight and blame everyone and create as many problems and controversies as possible. Unfortunately, Delhi has to wait till this man’s full term is over.
Pralhad P., Bangalore
Never before has any political party been hounded like AAP is being hounded currently by the government at the centre, which wants to discourage, humiliate, confuse and dislodge the duly elected government in Delhi. The Congress never stooped so low when the Jan Sangh and the communist parties were challenging it. No politician is perfect. Even they are bound to commit mistakes and blunders, but those who live in glass houses should not throw stones at others. The unprecedented interference by the Delhi police, the lieutenant governor and even the home ministry in the day-to-day functioning of the AAP government is incomprehensible and is going from bad to worse. The public is watching this drama silently.
M.Y. Shariff, Chennai
This refers to your article on Rekha’s “incredible, uplifting and sad tale” (Only Some Are Swans, October 17). I wonder if any of Outlook’s readers would like to peep into the actress’s personal life. Before her, hard luck pushed swans like Meena Kumari and Madhubala too into tragedy, Cinema lovers will always remember Rekha for her performance in Ijaazat with Naseeruddin Shah and Shashi Kapoor.
Parashuram Gautampurkar, Sawai Madhopur
Tamil Nadu faces a unique situation. CM J. Jayalalitha is very unwell and unlikely to be discharged from the hospital soon. Since the politician, much revered by the people of the state, is unwell, the people should be entitled to know the absolute truth about her condition. Her ministers dutifully troop to the hospital but Jayalalitha seems too unwell to give them audience, much less direct the affairs of the state.
J. Akshay, Bangalore
The special mass prayers, cutting across faiths, held in the vicinity of the Apollo hospital in Chennai, where lies the ailing TN CM J. Jayalalitha, are enough to understand the affection the people of TN have for her. At this stage, it is uncertain as to what will happen in view of the concerns surrounding the chief minister’s health. It is possible the state government is deliberately withholding information about her health as it may leave the masses inconsolable.
G. David Milton, Maruthancode
