The Hindu : 'Harvest of hatred'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Dec 19, 2002

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

'Harvest of hatred'

Sir, — Your Editorial, `Harvest of Hatred' (Dec. 16) is forthright and deserves the attention of the powers that be. The BJP's victory is not without a rider of aggressive communal polarisation. A word of caution to the Modi Government; now that the elections are over it should care for the minority on a par with the majority and should function breaking the narrow domestic walls of politics and usher in harmony.

A closer look at the election results shows that the Congress has lost only two seats from what it had earlier and the BJP has gained seats from other sources and also lost quite a few seats in its traditional bastions for decades. The results are a clear warning to the diminishing and disintegrated secular forces that they should truly join hands to fight communal polarisation and quell the growing anti-secular forces such as the VHP, the Bajrang Dal and the Sangh Parivar.

R. Daniel Jayakumar
Nellikuppam, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — What has surprised many is the scale of the victory of the BJP in the Gujarat elections. There was a wave in favour of the BJP, especially in north and central Gujarat. It is unfortunate that polarisation on communal lines happened after the post-Godhra riots when many lives were lost and property was destroyed. The BJP's victory cannot wipe away such bitter memories of the violence, which has scarred many lives besides giving a bad name to our secular credentials.

D.B.N. Murthy,
Bangalore

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