The Hindu : Communal violence

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jun 11, 2003

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Communal violence

Sir, — In your Editorial `Nothing trivial about violence' ( June 9 ) you have aptly pointed out that police were susceptible to political pressure. How a spark could become an inferno thanks to the inept and lackadaisical attitude of the law enforcing authorities was demonstrated in the recent communal violence in Hyderabad.

All political parties are adept at cashing in on communal violence. The reason for a communal flare-up may be trifle, but vested interests stir people's passions to make capital out of it.

H.P. Murali,

Bangalore

Nisha's law

* * *

Sir, — Rajeev Dhavan's article `Nisha's Law' (May 30): Law alone cannot be of any use unless boys and girls do not take a firm stand against giving or receiving dowry. It is correctly pointed out by Kalpana Sharma in her article, `Hitting dowry for a six', (Sunday Magazine, June 1), where she says: "It is a combination of the determination of the girls, supportive parents and a change in our perverted culture that will end this `evil' which is what it is. A law can only help to some extent. It cannot change the mindsets as has already been demonstrated". Laws to protect women against several evils are there only on paper. But, until some device is designed to make them auto-operative, they will simply remain mere paper-tigers.

Dowry harassment after marriage is a traumatic experience. Even these should be dealt with by taking recourse to law. Young men and women should take up the cudgels against the evil of dowry and refuse to marry when it is demanded or offered in any form.

K. Krishna Rao,

Hyderabad

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