Opinion - Letters to the Editor

U.K. no comparison

Sir, — Refer T.K. Oommen's article `New directions for south Asia' (Feb. 4) and Jacob George's letter (Feb.15): The letter grossly misrepresents Oommen's position. He argued that religion was non-accommodative and non-inclusive in nature as compared to language, which could lend multiple identities to an individual, essential in a diverse culture. Jacob's example of the U.K. being a secular state and harbouring Karl Marx is misplaced.

Although South Asian countries are not comparable to the U.K. because of a different development culture, we know that non-Christians of South Asia choose to christianise their names to be accepted in the host culture.

We should look at the other developing countries and not the U.K. for comparison.

If the Tower of Babel was meant to divide the people, the same can be reversed to unite the people, and again language becomes the basis, having larger appeal and instrumentality for nation building than religion.

Dr. D.K. Giri
New Delhi

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