Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Whiff of fresh air

Sir, — After all the controversy surrounding the Presidential election, Lakshmi Sahgal's nomination comes as a whiff of fresh air. A staunch opponent of partition and proponent of Indo-Pak. unity, she says in one of her interviews, "hamare mathe pe nahin likha hain ke hum Pakistani hain ki Hindustani hain." (It is not written on our foreheads whether we are Pakistanis or Indians.) How soothing in these times of war-mongering and brave talk. Though her nomination is largely symbolic, I hope her message of peace and egalitarianism gets across.

It is now a foregone conclusion that Abdul Kalam will be our next President. After his nomination was announced, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad international general-secretary, Pravin Togadia, proclaimed, "The choice of Kalam shows that this Government does not discriminate on communal lines if the person concerned is a diehard nationalist." I hope Dr. Kalam speaks out against this unbridled and unjustified euphoria that his election to the highest office does not necessarily reflect the status of Muslims in India.

Ra. Ravishankar,
Illinois, U.S.

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