Apropos your cover story War Below the Radar (Jul 31), Pakistan is not only sponsoring terrorism but has also invaded India several times. We have defeated them on those occasions but failed to use the gains for buying permanent peace. We should never repeat such costly mistakes as returning captured territory and PoWs, not crossing the LoC to destroy terrorist training camps, and agreeing to convert it into an international border without getting anything except words in return. Pakistan won’t stop supporting terrorism. We have to start paying them in the same coin by covert operations in that country. We should support the Pakistani people in their crusade against the military dictatorship and strengthen our own anti-terrorist apparatus. Peace with us is no less important to Pakistan. Let it strive for it.
R.N. Kohli, on e-mail
Every Indian knows the consequences of an outright attack on Pakistan given that both are nuclear-capable countries. If Israel could effectively answer every suicide bombing on its soil with punitive military response, it is reflective of the will and conviction of the people of the country rather than the unconditional backing of the US. Israel is always assured of US support for any military foray into any Islamic state neighbouring it. India, though, can do much more than entering into an outright war with Pakistan. It can suspend all cbms with Pakistan; and mobilise international support, till there is a perceptible change of attitude on its part.
S. Lakshmi, on e-mail
"That decision can take place as soon as the next terror attack. The general consensus was that we are yet to cross the threshold." So there’s a measurable threshold on things like these? What is its unit? Is it NoD (Number of Deaths)?
V.R. Ganesan, New Jersey, US
The talk of qualified restraint—‘one more attack and we will act’—has proved a mindless policy for two decades, with no results so far, and bespeaks a soft India that continues to accept terrorist activities as a fait accompli. Look at the tiny state of Israel which acts faster than the electrical current at 1,86,000 miles a second and is bombarding Lebanon lock, stock and barrel, apologetic for the loss of innocent lives, but relentless against the terrorists.
R.K. Bharadwaj, on e-mail
For the common man in India, his worst enemy is not Pakistan or China. It’s his own compatriots—his own government, his own politicians, his own police.
Robin Sathaye, on e-mail
The fact is, India has always been a soft state. In the case of Rubaiya Mufti, who was held hostage, the craven V.P. Singh government caved in and released terrorists. The strawmen of bjp followed, to release more dreaded terrorists at Kandahar. To expect the Congress to do otherwise is illogical. Outlook can therefore stop trying. America takes out Afghanistan and Iraq. Israel flattens Lebanon. Remember Operation Entebbe? Or Putin’s order to storm Chechen rebels? That’s the response of a self-confident nation to hostage-taking and terror. Pandering to minorities or shirking strong action is cowardly, but Indian government mandarins will form committees, pontificate and meander on.
R. Rangarajan, Chennai
Reading your story on terror and the Indian Muslim psyche (Bearded and Tagged, Jul 31), I was reminded of this Urdu couplet: Wohi qatil, wohi qazi, wohi hakim thehra/Aqriba mere, karoon khoon ka daawa kis par (He is the killer, he the judge and he the healer, O Lord, on whom should I lay the blame for the murder). Across the world, the Muslim is targeted by state-sponsored terrorism, yet he alone is branded as the terrorist. Be it 9/11 or the blasts in Mumbai, I haven’t heard of any Muslim "terrorist" being targeted. Only innocents are rounded up, tortured or murdered in ‘encounters’.
A.T.M. Anwar, Hyderabad
Can there be any hope for this country when votebank politics leads to mindless minority appeasing? It provides covert encouragement to terrorist elements within the Muslim community because they know that India’s venal politicians will forgive them their worst sins in return for their community’s vote. It is this parasiticism one has to strike at, and it’s the educated Muslim who can help us do that. He can guide his fundamentalist brethren and show them the self-destructive aspect of their jehad.
V.S. Ganeshan, Bangalore
Most Muslims who come to the US, legally or illegally, are unskilled and get into trouble with the police for alleged crimes—just being Muslims first, and then for not having the necessary skills for oiling the US economy. Should there be another event like 9/11, most of them will be in internment camps, as happened to the Japs during World War II. All Indians would suffer, not just Indian Muslims. There were occasions where Muslim families were openly threatened in the Midwest and we had to spend entire evenings with them—giving moral support.
Gopal, Detroit, US
It’s sad that post the Mumbai blasts, the entire blame is being laid on the door of Indian Muslims. Terrorists, whoever they are, must be punished. But it must also be remembered that when it comes to patriotism, love of the land or sacrifice for the nation, Indian Muslims are second to none.
Mohd Shoaib, New Delhi
Come on, Outlook, we all know that the Deoband seminary is an extension of the fanatic Wahabis of Saudi Arabia who spew hatred against non-Sunnis, especially Shias. Their worthy protagonists are a who’s who in the world of terror—LeT, Taliban, Zarqawi, the 9/11 hijackers...
Azeem Taqi, Nashville, US
The acts of Islamic terror in India wouldn’t be possible sans local Muslim support, extended due to perceived ill-treatment and victimisation by Hindus. The fundamentalist Muslims who feel they erred at the time of Partition and are unhappy here must be given another chance and allowed to emigrate to Pakistan or Bangladesh, as these countries were specifically carved out for Indian Muslims apprehensive about living in Hindu-majority India.
A.E. Fernandez, Bangalore
Pakistan’s president knows Kashmir is India’s Achilles’ heel (The Core Issue: Musharraf) and that it will have to engage Pakistan for any permanent solution in Kashmir. That’s the core of the issue.
Sanjay K. Masaraddi, Mysore
In the article A City Keeps Its Cool, Rahul Bose says, "By all means let’s direct the anger against the government, but my point is that governments have been unable to stop Sati for 59 years, forget pre-empting terror." In my opinion, it is not the failure of government but the failure of people themselves to elect proper governments. It is a failure of people who choose to ignore what is going on in our Parliament, in our states and in our neighbourhoods. Who is the government? Isn’t it us?
Ashwini R., New York
In the article We The People, bjp general secretary Arun Jaitley blames "a weak administrative mechanism and the lack of coordination among intelligence agencies" for 7/11. Has he forgotten that Kargil (an "invitation cup" tournament!) and terrorist attacks on Parliament and Red Fort took place during the nda regime! Or that the 2003 Mulund, Ghatkopar, Gateway of India and Jhaveri Bazaar blasts too took place when L.K. Advani (author of the rath yatra and the Great Indian Divide) was presiding over the Union home ministry and the intelligence apparatus?
R.K. Purayil, Mumbai
Amusing that politicians should feel victimised. I’d say the people of this country are very tolerant. It is they who give politicians their power, but they are the first ones to be forgotten once they are in power. Even a defeated politician gets a plum post, as if to mock those who defeated him. Self before service is the supreme tenet; when it comes to safeguarding their interests, there is no party for the politicians, only one class: the political class which does not hesitate to change even the law overnight to safeguard its interests.
V. Janardanan, Mumbai
When it comes to answering nature’s call, nobody gives it back to nature like the Indian man does (Second Nature, Jul 24). He may have a perfectly decent toilet at home, but nirvana for the Indian man is to relieve himself in the open. Feel squeamish about it? Your problem, not his. As I see it, fines are the only way out. Till then, it’s gonna be just aim and shoot.
Gayatri Gahlaut, on e-mail
It’s not the genes but a lack of hygiene awareness and literacy that makes the North Indians open-minded about pissing in the open. Which is why you wouldn’t probably see such a thing in Kerala, even though it is densely populated and doesn’t have enough loos. The very culture of the people in the state in matters relating to personal and public hygiene show what education and awareness has done to them.
Sajit Nambudiripad, Wayanad
The concluding comment in the article A Watery Grave (Jul 31)—"So what if the third leg of the journey—the act of producing power—was not that good!"—was in bad taste. gmr is one of the best groups in India: dynamic, progressive, with one of the best management teams and with projects that are of world-class standards. The cost of fuel has gone up phenomenally and one needs to have return on investment to keep the power plant running. The state government either needs to pay remunerative rate per KW for the output or supply the raw material at concessional rate. As a customer in Karnataka, we pay the highest electricity price anywhere in the world! Any infrastructure development in this state is a non-starter! Instead of waiting until 2008 for the agreement to get over, the power plant should be moved closer to large natural gas finds immediately.
P. Jadhav, Bangalore
Hindi is becoming the new Sanskrit thanks to the rss ideologues of the Hindi Prachar Sabha (Amrika in a Hindi Accent, Jul 31)! Hindi gained currency in India only after Independence; it was Urdu, Bhojpuri, Hindustani and other North Indian dialects that were spoken before.
Nasar, Raleigh, US
Daniel Lak is generally correct about our glorious city, but he is comically wrong when he says the Sikhs in Vancouver live in Richmond (Vancouver Diary, Jul 31). There are, of course, some Sikhs there. But the main Sikh community is in Surrey. They are big in the market farming sector and grow blueberries and cranberries. The other day I went to a Punjabi farm to buy blueberries and took a box of what I was told was 10 pounds. I took it home and happened to weigh it on my scale and was aghast to find it was only seven pounds. I took it back and asked for either three pounds more berries or my money back. I weighed it on his scales and showed it was less. The guy just got abusive and I left. Most Punjabis in Vancouver are better than that.
A. Jeyaseelan, Chilliwack
Vancouver really is a super place, but I’m afraid to say so in case it’s wrecked by Indians.
Anil Narlikar, Pune
