Date:10/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/10/stories/2008111055971001.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Cause for concern

The Hindu deserves to be congratulated on carrying two excellent articles “Nanded case: of lost leads and shoddy investigation” (Nov. 3) and “Hindutva and its cult of the bomb” (Nov. 5). Both articles exposed the evil designs of Hindutva outfits and exploded the myth that ‘all terrorists are Muslims.’ It is indeed disgraceful that a serving Army officer, Lt. Col. Shrikant Purohit, has been arrested for his involvement in the Malegaon blasts.

A. Faizur Rahman,

Chennai

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The alleged complicity of a serving Lt. Col. and a retired Major in the Malegoan blasts has sullied the pride and discipline of the 1.13 million strong Indian Army. Though some members of the armed forces have been caught spying at times for monetary benefits, this is the first time disgruntled army men have turned to terrorism. The alleged infiltration of Hindutva outfits into the armed forces should be thoroughly investigated.

Capt. T. Raju (retd.),

Secunderabad

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The involvement of army officers in the Malegaon blasts is a pointer to the grim realities that confront the Indian state. The need of the hour is to nip in the bud the tendency to resort to reprisal attacks. The political class should come together, shedding its penchant for vote bank politics and evolve a climate of tolerance, putting religion on the backburner. Failure to take corrective steps will result in widespread violence, leading to a civil war-like situation.

K. Uma,

Chennai

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It looks like communities are vying with one another to inflict maximum damage on the people. If one community is doing it with bombs, the other is using mobs and bombs. While one community sources the hardware for its bombs from across the border, the other acquires it from a decommissioned army ordnance depot.

The attempt by the armed forces personnel to distort the secular nature of our Constitution to serve the political agenda of a lunatic fringe shows the power of propaganda. The professionalism of the forces is at stake. The authorities should act fast to prevent the rot setting in.

George Easaw,

Bangalore

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The article on Hindutva (Nov. 5) has rightly attacked terrorism by Hindu outfits, not sufficiently highlighted so far. It is the Hindutva organisations that are responsible for showing the Muslim community in a poor light. But with the news of the involvement of Hindu outfits in bomb blasts coming to light, the sangh parivar has been quick to pounce on the law-enforcers and issue statements such as ‘there can be no Hindu terrorist.’

J. Anantha Padmanabhan,

Srirangam

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This refers to VHP leader Pravin Togadia’s claim (Nov. 5) that no Hindu can be a terrorist. His warning that there would be a “political backlash” if any government persisted with the assertion is an attempt to terrorise the nation. If the law does not act early against such leaders, the country’s secular fabric will be destroyed.

Chelladurai Williams,

Chennai

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Mr. Togadia’s remark that no Hindu can be a terrorist doesn’t come as a surprise to those who are familiar with his communal mindset. How can he be so sure of Pragnya Thakur’s innocence when he, as he himself claims, does not know her at all? Because she is a Hindu? I suggest that Mr. Togadia go through the article in The Hindu, which talks of Hindu terrorist organisations and their activities.

At least Pragnya has been given a chance to go through a trial. In most cases, the so-called Islamist terrorists are eliminated in encounters (fake or real), which the state calls ‘war against terror’ so that no one can question their authenticity.

Asifa Khan,

Aligarh

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Many people have questioned the credibility of the case against Sadhvi Pragnya in the Malegaon blasts case. What do they have to say about the arrest of a retired and a serving army officer? That men chosen to protect the country have been arrested on suspicion of being involved in its destruction is shameful. I commend the ATS for its brave and honest work.

Irshad Ahmed,

Bangalore

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As seen in the Batla House and the Malegaon blast cases, leaders of both communities come to the defence of those arrested from among their groups while demanding strict action on terror outfits on the other side. The portrayal of anti-terror initiatives as conspiracies is the latest method adopted by these demagogues. Such conspiracy theories are dangerous as they hurt the morale of the police and fuel insecurity among the people. The first step towards solving a problem is to acknowledge its existence. Hopefully, intellectuals on either side will realise it soon enough.

Ranjeeth Dasineni,

Bangalore

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By drawing a parallel between the reaction of Islamist leaders after the arrest of IM activists and of the sangh parivar following the arrest of Pragnya and others in the Malegaon blast case, Praveen Swami’s article has maligned all those who have aired any suspicion over the police version of encounters and terror investigations. After the recent blasts in various cities and the Jamia Nagar shootout, no Muslim organisation or political party argued that all those arrested were innocent.

What they demanded was an impartial enquiry into the so-called encounter and the speedy trial of those arrested. Turning a blind eye to the partisan attitude of our law-enforcing agencies and condoning all human rights violations in the name of counter-terrorism campaign amount to undermining our democratic values.

M.B. Zaman,

Malappuram

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I am neither a follower nor a fan of the Shiv Sena chief, Bal Thackeray, but I do not think there is anything wrong in his speaking up for Sadhvi Pragnya Singh and the other accused in the Malegaon blasts. No doubt, perpetrators of all forms of terror should be punished but Mr. Thackeray has every right to defend someone he considers innocent. Every citizen has a constitutional right to defend himself or herself and his or her sympathisers have the right to provide legal assistance.

N.V. Sankaran,

Thrissur