Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Gujarat results

Sir, — The Gujarat election results have confirmed the concerns expressed in the article `Reject the poisoned chalice' (Dec. 12) and in your Editorials from time to time. The results show that Jinnah was not far wrong when he got his `Pakistan theory' down the Britishers' throat, claiming that the Muslim minority would not be safe in India in spite of Gandhiji's leadership of truth and non-violence. The mindset has been sown. Very soon ghetto living by the minorities may be the outcome. The result is looking through the Ariel Sharon eyeglass which sees every Palestinian as a potential terrorist.

P. Ramalingam,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — There is no denying that the BJP has made Godhra a poll plank and what it has harvested is verily the fruits of hatred. The poll verdict, a setback to the cause of secular democracy, is extremely ominous for the country's future as a truly secular and pluralist polity. The result underlines the need to launch an effective political and ideological struggle against Hindutva beyond the electoral arena.

J.S. Vaz,
Tuticorin, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — By giving a two-thirds majority to the BJP, the Gujarat voters have done a Himalayan blunder. This victory is the VHP's victory and not that of the BJP. The tail was wagging the dog and now the tail itself has become the dog.

Indeed, the ``harvest of hatred'' in Gujarat is complete and total. This is not good for the nation. Chanting the name of Lord Rama, the people of Gujarat have voted for Ravana.

H. Ghouse Baig,
Tiruchi, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — Godhra, no doubt, stoked communal passions. But the one-sided, hyped campaign by the media and the Opposition fuelled the passions to reach uncontrollable levels. The deeply polarised verdict has a lesson to the ``secular'' forces, which addressed only the communalism of the BJP, neglecting issues of concern to the common man.

C.R. Narayanan,
Cuddalore, T.N.

* * *

Sir, — This has reference to your Editorial, "The wrong signals" (Dec. 19). The Gujarat election was conducted in an unblemished manner, and the campaign speeches of the constitutional heads were very much secular. The people's verdict should be accepted even if it is not palatable.

It is strange that objection has been raised to the Prime Minister's statement about the failure of Muslims to adequately condemn the Godhra carnage.

Yes, if they had done it instantly and wholeheartedly, it would surely have softened the angry feelings of the affected community, and the violent reaction would have been limited.

R. Thiruvengadam,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — Your Editorial, `Dissecting the Gujarat verdict' (Dec. 17) has given legitimacy to the ugliest feature of Indian elections — voting on caste basis. The KHAM strategy so successfully put to work by the Congress in the Gujarat elections is nothing but mobilising votes on caste lines (and, to some extent, on religious lines also). The party used a similar strategy in Uttar Pradesh. Your reference to the KHAM strategy by a respectable term ``social chemistry'' is nothing but legitimising mobilisation of votes on caste lines whereas casteism is as dangerous as religious communalism.

D. Natarajan,
Chennai

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