Date:24/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/24/stories/2008092455601002.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Karnataka CM’s move

I congratulate Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa for his quality of statesmanship in visiting the Archbishop of Bangalore (September 23) to explain the steps taken by the government to protect the churches in the State. The Chief Minister stands tall.

N.S.Venkataraman,

Chennai

* * *

Instead of letting the violence go unabated the Karnataka government should have acted swiftly against its perpetrators from day one.

What purpose is served by the Chief Minister and his Cabinet colleagues visiting the Archbishop except to inform him of the existence of the Anti-Goonda Act and the government’s readiness to invoke it? And how appropriate it is to talk of the Act when what is being witnessed is a spate of organised violence and intimidation to frighten the people in pursuit of political gains? To ensure peace and order, the vicious cycle of provocation and reaction should equally be dealt with.

M.A. Hakeem,

Hyderabad

* * *

The Yeddyurappa promise of stopping violence should be promptly followed up without any dilution. It is desirable that he does everything under the sun to restore confidence in the minds of those who were affected in the violent incidents. Restoration of peace, tranquillity and harmony in Karnataka depends just on that.

J. Eden Alexander,

Thanjavur

* * *

It is indeed a disturbing and dangerous trend that highly educated Muslim youth are getting indoctrinated by so-called jihad. One cannot apply the Newton’s third law here and legitimise inhuman acts by propagating it as reaction to Godhra. An eye for eye will make the whole world blind. Some steps ought to be taken to fight this menace more effectively.

First, Muslims and hardcore ‘secular’ elite should not view police action against a few suspects as an action against the entire community. This only deepens the Hindu-Muslim divide and can even lower the morale of our forces. Secondly, advocates of ‘cultural nationalism’ should stop spreading hatred against the minorities in general and Muslims in particular. It should be acknowledged by one and all that “every Muslim is not a terrorist.” Attacks on churches and other Christian institutions must be strongly dealt with by the State. Last but not the least, more stringent anti-terror laws should be put in place.

Lokeshkumar Jangid,

New Delhi