This refers to the article With a Wink and a Nod (February 28). As I see it, whether it is the NPT, the MTCR, the CTBT or the nuclear disarmament policy, eventually all these agreements come to naught because of US doubles-peak. The latter justified giving military equipment worth $368 million to Pakistan with the help of the Brown Amendment. France conducted six major consecutive nuclear explosions at Murorua Atoll, but no one raised a stink, neither the US nor the European Union. Wasn’t France violating any treaty? Again, when Beijing gave M-11 missiles to Islamabad in 1993, there was little furore and things gradually settled down. Now the Chinese have given 5,000 ring magnets for uranium enrichment to Pakistan. Is it not a violation of the NPT and CTBT? This is the Clinton Administration for you, espousing world peace on the one hand and selling arms to Pakistan on the other.
Manish, Delhi
This refers to the item Village Voice in Telewise (February 28). You mention that Venus Television (VTV) has been launched by the Sir J.P. Srivastava Group of Industries. We would like to clarify that the Sir J.P. Srivastava Group of Industries, as promoted by its founder Sir J.P. Srivastava, has nothing to do with VTV. Neither is the group investing in the aforesaid programme.
J.K. Srivastava (ex-MLA), Kanpur
The hawala scandal is opening up like a cabbage, leaf by leaf everyday. The majority of the people accused in this case are shouting out threats, saying that it is all politically motivated, leaving the general populace absolutely dazed amid a barrage of charges and counter-charges.
One may sum up the situation in a Hindi saying ‘Sau mein se pichanwe baiman, phir bhi hamara desh mahan’ (one of 100, 95 are corrupt, still our country is great).
Simi Ratra, Meerut
Young stories on cricket in the March 20 issue were interest. Being a cricket fan and saving played for my employ-(Indian Overseas Bank) for a time, I found all the articles on cricket excellent and well written, especially Sir Richard Hadlee’s comments on World Cup prospects and analysis of various players participating in it.
Azhar and his boys displayed tremendous skill throughout tournament and the lapse our skipper’s part in the later rounds of the game locked the pundits of the game. If we lost to Sri Lanka, it only because of their superior all-round skills. They were certainly a team who deserved win. Our team crumbled like pack of cards while the Sri Lankans batted, fielded and bowled consistently well. How- rather than being bitter out our own defeat, we should revel in the subcontinental glory brought to us Sri Lanka.
G. Krishnamoorthy, Thane
I received the March 20 issue of Outlook in between the India-Lanka clash. The Indians were beaten. I could not bring self to read this issue of Outlook and I’m sure there were others like me who did want to read it. A lot is ked about the way the of March 13 concluded. the two reasons for our loss that the islanders batted y well and we were deceived the pitch.
Rahul Raj Sharma, New Delhi
With reference to Anil Dharker’s Bombay Diary (Making a Silly Point, March 20) requesting for favourite World Cup ads, my favourite was the Cadbury-Schweppes’ "Official-nonofficial Hoo Haa" ad for Canada Dry which reads: "What’s official; What’s unofficial; And what’s cool; Cool off with Canada!"
Manash Baruah, Guwahati
This is in response to Saroja Raman’s letter (March 13) to Vinod Mehta’s item in Delhi Diary (Mr Rao’s Spectacular Transformation, February 21). Mehta’s observation was factual. Discerning readers could find nothing wrong with the description of Narasimha Rao as a ‘wily south Indian Brahmin’. Hence there was no need for an apology from your side.
Bishop Dr M. Ezra, Tamil Nadu
Apropos the article Precocious Professionals (March 6), adolescents today are clear about what they want to do with their lives. Their idealism is ‘careerism’. A 17-year-old, we learn, keeps a 14-hour study schedule, shuttling between school and classes for IIT JEE , in addition to many hours of study at home. Of course, "there’s little time to think of anything else". We don’t really know if we should be impressed or feel sorry for today’s kids.
Although, for the achievement-oriented youth of today, competitiveness has become the instrument of survival, problems of concentration, delinquency, hatred for parents who pressurise them and even the urge to run away from home have become commonplace. In fact, many break under this do-or-die pressure.
I quote an instance. During my recent visit to a school for the blind, I heard a near-blind youth repenting remorsefully:
"I was a bookworm. I used to study day in and day out. My father used to warn me saying, ‘Don’t strain. Refrain from using life like a loose shirt.’ I ignored him. And now I’m ignored—as an infirm invalid." There’s a lesson here for those who indulge in an ‘excess’ for success. Too much of anything is bad. And prevention is always better than cure.
Jyotirmoy Mukherjee, Lucknow
The Eden Gardens episode has become an instrument for settling regional scores in the country and Outlook’s decision to run a cover story on it is another example of blowing the issue out of proportion (Oh Calcutta, March 27). Views accommodated in the story expose how high regional prejudices run in this country. How else could you explain Khushwant Singh’s statement that he "never associated such juvenile behaviour with Bengalis"—as if the 1.2 lakh people who were there were all Bengalis. The fact is the crowd was as cosmopolitan as the city itself.
"Bengal hasn’t really produced any great cricketers," says Singh. First of all, what’s that got to do with March 13? And second, what kind of an observation is that in any case: did Pankaj Roy, Arun Lal, Dilip Doshi et al belong to the twilight zone or outer space? Or perhaps there’s nothing ‘great’ about them.
Madhav Mantri says what happened in Calcutta doesn’t
happen anywhere. Not quite; in Mantriji’s city in 1969, a mini-riot broke out during an India-Australia test match after Venkataraghavan was given out. Again, in 1975, an unruly crowd disrupted the first Test match at the Wankhede stadium between India and West Indies.
A lot of flawed opinions are being put forward on the March 13 incident. There’s that theory by self-declared analysts who like to be politically correct: that a ‘few’ people in the crowd created all the problem. How silly can such theorists be? The fact is, though a small number might have actually indulged in throwing bottles, others were ‘also’ dejected at India’s dismal show. If the majority were not part of the outbursts, there may have been riots in the stands with people trying to ‘stop’ the ‘smaller’ group. No such thing happened. Again, when Azhar was booed out of the ground, almost everyone participated. The ‘hai, hai’ came from all sections of the stadium—it was not a ‘small’ number. In the heat of the moment, almost everyone at the stadium was enraged.
Eminent Bengali litterateur Shirshendu Mukherjee has summed it up best: "It was just anger. And isn’t anger a manifestation of true love?" And what’s this plethora of apologies to the Sri Lankan team about? If any team has been treated badly it’s the Indian team—why not an apology to them?
Rajib Kumar, Calcutta
Referring to your story, Are the Courts Ruling India? (March 6), it is hardly surprising if they do. Lord Krishna said in the Gita that whenever dharma decays, he himself will appear to protect dharma. The judiciary has taken charge as other sections of government seem to have been afflicted with a bankruptcy of thought. Decision-making is inept and often below standard, making one wonder if we are being still governed by pre-Independence rules and if democracy has any value.
Unsigned
Referring to Wanted: Artocrat (February 28), I recall reading somewhere that M.F. Husain has been resorting to similar gimmicks (by protesting the appointment of Bharat Bhawan chairman) after the end of the Madhuri affair to grab headlines in newspapers. At least, Ashok Vajpeyi is an honest bureaucrat and much more than an artist.
Akhil Pradhan, Orissa
Apropos Tarun Tejpal’s Delhi Diary (Sex, Art and Symmetry, February 7), the following are my sex theories:
(1) People who talk hoarsely about obscenity and vulgarity attain sexual gratification from saying just that.
(2) If a young couple is not able to gel psychologically on the first wedding night, they won’t be sexually compatible for the rest of their life.
(3) India being a sexually repressed country is actually a boon. For it gives vent to the same in creative pursuits like music, arts, science, technology, even corruption!
Zahid H. Javali, Bangalore
Recently, out of sheer curiosity I picked up a copy of Outlook from a bookstall. Its elegant cover-design and printing attracted me, as well as its reasonable price of Rs 10. And as I went through the magazine, I was delighted to find the contents equally fascinating. Now I regularly look for a copy of Outlook and would like to thank you for bringing out a quality magazine for the readers.
Dibyendu Guha, Bombay
Your cover story Nothing But Des -pair (February 14) is all the more distressing if read in conjunction with James Freeman’s book Untouchable—An Indian Life History. I really think that politicians, religious leaders, intellectuals and even the emerging middle class of India should first do some serious soul-searching on what can be done to relieve sectors of the population from the brink of starvation, and then talk about official poverty lines. I do appreciate the vast difficulties India is facing, but after decades of independence? As journalists, you have an uphill battle lying head.
Jude Lam, Hong Kong
