The Hindu : Widespread evil

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Feb 25, 2003

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Widespread evil

Sir, — This has reference to the article, "Cultural globalisation", by Kancha Ilaiah (Feb. 22). Mr. Ilaiah praises Western egalitarianism forgetting that the worst form of slavery and oppression was perpetrated against the blacks by the Western countries. A civil war was fought in America on the issue of slavery. Again, he eulogises the efforts of the Christian missionaries in India forgetting the fact that it was the Dutch Church which authorised apartheid in South Africa by citing quotations from the Bible which permit such a treatment. In ancient and medieval world, some form of discrimination against certain citizens was practised in every culture and religion. India was no exception.

Venkat Goli,
New Delhi

Sir, — Is it possible to separate the economic aspects of a society from its cultural ones? There is a necessity to evolve need-based cultural forms which ensure equal respect and rights to all sections of people in the society. Many cultural symbols have made the oppressed sections suffer. A simple example is dowry. A cultural phenomenon of giving gifts during Hindu marriages, particularly among elite sections of society, has become an uncontrollable evil today. No law could do away with this cultural practice. In fact, it has infected all castes and religions. There is a similar danger posed by many elements of Western culture as well. The increasing consumerist attitude among the Indian middle classes is an example.

M.V. Srinivasan,
New Delhi

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