Dear Andrew Symonds8230;

I trust this finds you in a swinging mood 8212; which term, let me hasten to add, has nothing to do with the simian practice of swinging from branch to branch. I am painfully aware of how upset you and your fellow Aussie cricketers are about the 8216;monkey calls8217; allegedly made against you by Indian spectators during recent cricket matches. Believe me, as president of the BCCI I find this issue a real pain too. But let me assure you that I am taking the matter very seriously; and it is in this mood that I write to you.

You must understand that racial, communal, linguistic, casteist, and parochial taunts are a part of India8217;s glorious heritage and culture. Indeed, we Indians quite routinely use beastly language with one another; this is especially so in politics. I fondly recall that in 1997, when my colleague Sitaram Kesari 8212; then president of the Congress Parliamentary Party 8212; withdrew support to the United Front government headed by H.D. Deve Gowda without consulting me, I affectionately remarked: 8220;Bandar ke haath me talwar diya!8221; We placed a sword in a monkey8217;s hand.8221; More recently, my good friend, Karunanidhi of the DMK, described those who oppose the Sethusamudram shipping canal project as 8220;jackals8221;. This project, by the way, involves cutting through a coral reef that joins India and Sri Lanka; according to mythology, this reef was built by a 8216;monkey army8217; called the 8216;Bajrang Dal8217; to enable Lord Rama to cross the seas. Interestingly, the most virulent opponents of the project are a band that call itself the Bajrang Dal!

So lighten up, Andrew. Don8217;t care two hoots about monkey hoots from the spectator stands; it8217;s just what Aussie spectators do to our boys down under. It only goes to proves that many Indians still love to ape the white man.

Yours, etc8230;