The pattern of recent bomb blasts in our country shows the use of sophisticated devices by trained hands. Such infernal activities have spread so fast and wide that it’s become impossible for security agencies to keep them under check. Civilians should be very vigilant in such a situation, And more importantly, be prudent enough not to succumb to the designs of communalists. As for the Varanasi blasts, it’s amazing that top district officials were away from the town to attend the wedding of a CM kin.
P.K. Srivastava, on e-mail
The soft policies of spineless governments alone have led to this flurry of terror attacks—the latest being the one on Sankatmochan temple. The murky use of votebank politics from behind a smokescreen created in the name of secularism has sadly been claiming the lives of thousands of citizens in the world’s biggest democracy.
Raj Bharadwaj, Bombay
You may disagree with this, but I feel your list on terror during the nda government is conspicuous by the absence of one thing: the 2002 Gujarat genocide. Just because it was the ruling party in the state that engineered it or because the victims were mostly Muslims will be a weak reason to exempt it from the list of terror strikes. Why is it that massacres by the Hindutva brigade aren’t terrorism? Can only one from the Muslim or Sikh community be a terrorist?
Shankar Gopalakrishnan, Chennai
Faced with terrorism as well, Benares remained calm (Warp and Weft of Harmony). The economic inter-independence of its various communities has surely helped the holy town remain unruffled in the aftermath of the blasts. A gem of a lesson that other Indian towns should learn.
K.J. John, Baroda
There’s no point glorifying peace beyond a degree. Do not forget that economic reasons were simply not enough to maintain calm in Benares after the Babri Masjid demolition. That was when a dysfunctional, dilapidated structure on a disputed land was pulled down, not when a functioning temple was sought to be destroyed.
E. Raveendra, on e-mail
Apropos If You Knew Me By Now, the right to protest is not the main issue. Protest you should, but not in a way that affects normal life. Let me recall a rally Indian Christians organised in Washington a few years ago when A.B. Vajpayee visited the US as prime minister. It was just symbolic—in any case authorities here won’t permit anything beyond it. That’s because, unlike the Indian politician, the US nurtures no soft attitude towards minorities. The country is founded on Christian values, yet maintains separation of state from religion. That’s quite like India. But then, here there are no pretensions—bombings in Iran and Afghanistan being clear instances in recent history.
Praveen Rai, Philly, US
It’s unfortunate the way politicians are using the Benares blasts as an occasion to maximise their poll prospects (On A Rut Yatra). Luckily, except for stray incidents—thanks to the lessons Godhra taught us—Benares managed to remain unruffled. A good sign in the era of globalisation and economic reforms.
Biranchi Narayan Acharya, Cuttack
Linking the Varanasi blasts to "minority appeasement" seems to be ridiculous yet, overall, the upa government is culpable of showing extra favour to Muslims. Typically, the Congress is backed on this by the Left and parties like the rjd. Such a situation gives the bjp political fodder, but the party should bear in mind that it shouldn’t risk national security in the process.
Yugal Joshi, New Delhi
The bjp could have better resorted to some other ways of expressing concern—like organising meetings figuring leaders of various communities on the dais.
V.N. Ramachandran, Baroda
Ideally, the blasts should have prompted all religious parties to come together and put up a united fight against terror rather than airing individual voices.
A. Azim, Lucknow
L.K. Advani’s drama won’t work this time. More so when he has no support from the rss.
Shiv Kumar, Bombay
Outlook is increasingly becoming anti-Hindu. It would not take long for the magazine to be read only by mullahs and Marxists.
Karan Sharma, New Delhi
I have many Muslim friends who say no country gives the community freedom like in India (They Walk The Line). Good that the Muslims have stopped responding mostly to attacks on them anywhere in the world, and spoke more in the secular space of our country.
I. Chandra Rao, Hyderabad
Prem Shankar Jha justifies Indian Muslims’ anger on US invasion and death of Iraqis! Wonder what’s common between Muslims in Iraq and India.
S Kumar, Dubai
The Danish cartoonist carries Rs 51 crore on his head, now how much is it for the Varanasi blast terrorists?
H.N. Ramakrishna, Bangalore
Caste-based, hate-driven and opportunism-wedded democracy seems to have come to stay (Vaiko’s Vote-Face, Mar 20). Call it secular, or saffron. Politicians matter, media does; people, values don’t.
Narayan Singh, Delhi
It was brave of H.D. Kumaraswamy to go against the wishes of his father and join hands with the bjp in forming a new government (His Poise Son, Mar 20). But having become CM, and a young one at that, he has quite a task. Any wrong step will go in the opposition’s favour. The previous coalition government did very little for the development of the state. Then CM Dharam Singh spent the 20 months of his rule trying to please two high commands: Sonia Gandhi and Deve Gowda.
Shankara Swamy, on e-mail
Balbir Punj’s write-up (The Two-Regiment Theory, Mar 20) makes no attempt to hide his affiliations. The uproar over the survey of Muslims in the armed forces is itself communal. The Sachar Committee was asked to report the position of Muslims in all fields of national life. Aren’t the armed forces part of it? If one can’t find the extent of injustice done, how can one do justice? OK, the armed forces are secular, but then the recruitments should not follow any martial race theory. Yet this very British practice continues to this day. If Muslims from Bihar, Bengal, UP and Kerala are allowed in our armed forces, they would serve the country more valiantly than any so-called martial race!
A.T.M. Anwar, Hyderabad
Omar Khalidi and G.S. Banatwala make a case for compact Muslim zones. They need to be reminded that the Government of India did create these zones. They came to be called Pakistan and Bangladesh. Those Muslims who believed in the two-nation theory migrated there. Those who believed in a secular political regime but the right to follow personal faith stayed. Despite occasional creaks, a secular political system continues to work in India. As for compact zones, what about some for Shia Muslims in Pakistan where 59 years later migrants from India are still called Mohajirs and not integrated. Can Mr Khalidi make like suggestions to the US which too has a large Muslim population?
K. Ashokan, on e-mail
After the vulgar wedding of his daughter (orchids in every room and the media gushing ceaselessly), need we now waste precious space on the son’s (Knot or No?, Mar 20). Someone needs to demystify the Bachchans who seem to have little to recommend themselves apart from their regressive attitudes towards women and a propensity to amass wealth. To see the Big B in Black is to shudder at his absolute hamminess—and this wins him a Best Actor Award! Both the actor and the critics (if they deserve to be called as such) need to be sent back to acting school.
S. Mala, Mumbai
There have been endless attempts for reforms in the police. Commissions have been set up and recommendations ignored on some needless objection (Culture the Khaki, Mar 27). Fact remains, reform has to be multi-pronged. As long as our Lok Sabha and state legislatures are teeming with people with criminal records, elections are won on a caste and religious basis, and money power plays a lead role, there’s no point in reform anywhere, neither the police nor the judiciary.
H.R. Bapu Satyanarayana, Mysore
Going through your story Deaf, Mute, Blind (Mar 13), all I could feel was impotent rage. Today, if you have some hold in the government, you can get away with any crime in India.
P.K. Krishnan, Hyderabad
Miscarriage of justice, so blatant in the Best Bakery trial and now in the Jessica Lall case, should prompt legal experts to rethink the entire gamut of offences related to perjury. Witnesses turn hostile on three counts: outside pressure, threat and inducement of money, the last a double crime. Whenever there’s such an instance, related bank accounts and property dealings too should be investigated. That way, if the guilty escapes on one count, he can be booked on another.
S.R. Devaprakash, Tumkur
Strange that you highlight the Ramanis’ dubious role in your lead story and publish Prem Shankar Jha’s lame defence of them elsewhere.
Kurien Thomas, Bangalore
