Date:02/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/02/stories/2008120255100800.htm

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Early casualties

Following the terror attacks on Mumbai, heads have started to roll in the political establishment with Shivraj Patil and R.R. Patil becoming the early casualties. But will their resignation bring about a change in the system? The Mumbai attacks revealed that the state apparatus is woefully inadequate to fight terror. A change should also be brought about in the policies and the methods of operation.

N. Sekar,

Salem

* * *

The resignation by the Home Minister at the Centre and in Maharashtra is nothing but an attempt by them to make a virtue of their abject failure. Rather than being extenuating, their act only deepens our distrust of the political class.

Satinath Sen,

Bangalore

* * *

Ministers cannot escape responsibility by quitting or offering to resign. Valuable lives and properties worth crores have been lost. A public enquiry should be held to fix responsibility for the lapses. Only such action will ensure accountability.

N.G. Sreenivasa Rao,

Coimbatore

* * *

With the Mumbai tragedy coming to an end, the political establishment has started enacting gimmicks. By replacing Mr. Patil with P. Chidambaram, the UPA government has done what governments are best at doing — diverting the common man’s attention.

P. Jaya Devi,

Chennai

* * *

Was it necessary to make Mr. Patil a scapegoat? Would the security situation have been any different had the BJP government been in power in Maharashtra and at the Centre? Did the U.S. Secretary of State resign after 9/11? Mr. Patil has time and again displayed his ability to handle awkward situations.

A. Moiz Siddiqui,

Hyderabad

* * *

While the people are seething in anger over the terror attacks, we find that some political leaders have resigned and a leader has offered to resign.

But of what use is their resignation? They should be barred from contesting elections again.

P.S. Kankesh,

Erode

* * *

We expect more heads to roll not because the number of lives lost in the Mumbai attack is greater. In fact, a single train accident has resulted in a larger number of deaths. We expect heads to roll because the victims were people from elite nations. It is the pressure from abroad that has made the government act. It is not as if it has become serious overnight.

K.R. Nisha,

Thrissur

* * *

Only after 9/11 did the seemingly invincible U.S. start pulling its socks up. It became sensitive to the plight of the nations affected by terrorism.

I wish the November 26 attack on Mumbai which scared the rich and famous — Indian and foreign — out of their wits will make India realise the seriousness of the situation too.

Mohite Kr. Dasgupta,

Gurgaon