Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Close ranks

Sir, — I appeal to the leaders of the subcontinent to desist from a disastrous war that seems imminent. Let a loose federation be established along the lines of the Commonwealth of Independent States with a common military, economic, and foreign policy objective. And nuclear weapons should be either dismantled or brought under a unified command and control, with a common strategic objective of restraining other nuclear powers from coercion and subversion.

The root of the conflict in different parts of the subcontinent — be it the separatist movement in Kashmir, religious fundamentalism in Pakistan, Maoist insurgency in Nepal or civil war in Sri Lanka — are manifestations of prolonged social and economic deprivation. Fighting a war is not going to provide food to the hungry. Let us desist from the path of destruction and help fellow citizens become more dignified and civilised.

Sanjay Bhattacharya,
Pondicherry

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