Opinion
-
Letters to the Editor
Danger from within
Sir, — The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, has taken bold steps to rid Pakistan of a culture of hate and extremism. These steps are fully applauded by the people of Pakistan. On the other hand, as a Pakistani, I sense that India is going the other way. The steps that the Indian Government is taking are reminiscent of the steps that Zia-ul-Haq took when he was in power. In India, groups like the RSS and the VHP are being given a free rein to terrorise minorities. History books are being changed to suit an ideology that these militant groups are espousing. I urge the intelligentsia in India to take note of this trend because in time this trend will eat India from within. As regards the issue of Kashmir, this is an issue that can be solved only by the Kashmiri people. I am sure that a plebiscite in Kashmir will be applauded by all freedom loving people in India, Pakistan and the world. That is the only solution to the problem.
Waqar Syed,
New York, U.S.
Sir, — P.V. Indiresan's article `Why don't we have friends?' (Jan. 17) does expose the `dirt' we have submerged ourselves into. But on reflection one will realise that it is not always that the right side has friends. A so-called Christian leader sends an open letter to the visiting British Prime Minister appealing that he request Atal Behari Vajpayee to honour the Constitution of India in its totality as envisaged by the founding fathers. Will this happen in any other country? We abuse and misuse the precious freedom, collectively and individually. Any attack on the minority community is immediately flashed and makes headlines in our papers _ but when hundreds of Hindu Pundits are massacred there is no hue and cry. Every political party wants to gain maximum political mileage out of the violence and brutalisation of the innocents and, accordingly, cries hoarse or keeps silent. Is democracy suitable for the Indian mindset, one is tempted to ask? The proliferation of political parties on the basis of caste, the institutionalisation of corruption, the politicisation of the judiciary at the lower levels and the stalling of the proceedings in Parliament, all mesh into a dangerous threat from within the country. But by no means can these be compared to the threat that Pakistan and its friends pose to India. One aggravates the other, no doubt.
Hilda Raja,
Chennai
Send this article to Friends by
E-Mail
Opinion
|
