The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : The paradox

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 07, 2005

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

The paradox

Sir, — This refers to the article, "The unbearable lightness of seeing" (Feb. 5). We strive to eliminate slum dwellers by taking away their right to vote and we sing paeans about how democracy thrives in India! The Congress came to power on the aam aadmi slogan and it is the common man it seeks to eliminate with bulldozers.

K.N. Raj Kumar,
Coimbatore, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — Why is that the tsunami is a `national disaster' while demolishing slums is a sign of the country's progress?

Ravinder Kumar Banyal,
Bangalore

* * *

Sir, — The Indian elite and the corporate world have hijacked the development priorities of our nation. More and more common people are being marginalised.

T.A. Ummer,
Thrissur, Kerala

* * *

Sir, — That many are sought to be disenfranchised in the name of reforms and beautification is unfortunate.

When we are happy to be under such political dictatorships, why should India shed crocodile tears over the state of Nepal's democracy?

N. Ramya,
Tiruchi, T.N.

* * * Sir, — Whether it is the Congress or the NCP or the Shiv Sena that is ruling, the poor and the needy always suffer.

C. Ahmed Aslam,
Makkaraparamba, Kerala

* * *

Sir, — The rich and famous of Mumbai should join hands to address this calamity of mass eviction. Adoption of a slum in Mumbai is as praiseworthy as the adoption of a tsunami-wrecked village.

S. Priyamvada,
New Delhi

* * *

Sir, — I empathise with those rendered homeless in Mumbai's slums. Clearly, the article was an eye-opener. But the moot question is: how do we rehabilitate them without accommodating them on public property?

Mansi Gupta,
New Delhi

* * *

Sir, — In comparing the number rendered homeless by the tsunami with the removal of encroachments in Mumbai, the article ignores the fact that the former is a case of people losing their homes for no fault of theirs while the latter is a case of people being evicted from the land they have been occupying illegally, after due notice and by following the due process of law.

I.M. Pramanic,
New Delhi

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Opinion

News Update

Stories in this Section

SMOKING OUT THE WEED

CONTROLLING Mr. BUSH

The threat from bird flu

No western monopoly on modernity

Draft CPI(M) resolution on third alternative