Democratic challenge

This refers to 8216;The other line of control8217; by C. Raja Mohan.

8226; This refers to 8216;The other line of control8217; by C. Raja Mohan. How indeed can India encourage democracy in Pakistan? Kashmir should be given the option to join Pakistan, India or to become an independent state. Democracy means respecting the will of the majority through the ballot box. Let us show the courage and foresight to do this now. Time is running out. This alone can give democracy an opportunity to survive against further violence in the Valley.

8212; Parimal Y. Mehta

Mumbai

Opportunities 038; duties

8226; Musharraf8217;s exit places Pakistan yet again at a political crossroads. India8217;s immediate concerns are as much with the pseudo-separatist movement now taking root in Kashmir as with an enduring stability of the Zardari-Sharif coalition. The onus is now on this duo to strengthen the democratic sinews of Pakistan, over sustained periods of time. Lasting internal stability in Pakistan is the desire not only of the people of Pakistan, but of the entire sub-continent as well.

8212; R. Narayanan

Ghaziabad

United states

8226; No Indian is surprised at what Syed Ali Shah Geelani is saying or doing. He has never made a secret of his being a 8220;Pakistani8221;. Indians are, however, surprised at how the 8220;Friends of India8221; in the Valley are behaving more like separatists than the separatists themselves. I hope they know the damage they are doing to the country and to their own standing. It is time for all Indians to stand united and give a befitting reply to the separatist forces. There are moments in the history of a nation when parochialism has to be subordinated to the national interest. The likes of Geelani must be isolated.

8212; R.J. Khurana

Bhopal

Fast forward

8226; This refers to the editorial 8216;SIMI final8217;. You have urged the home ministry to place the facts correctly before the court to enable a continuation of the SIMI ban. One of the UPA allies, Lalu Prasad, did raise his eyebrows over the ban. Now, with the arrest of 10 more militants, the case against SIMI is stronger and cannot be diluted further. Apart from the Ahmedabad blasts, the arrested militants had a major role in the Jaipur and Malegaon blasts too. The case should in fact be fast-tracked.

8212; Deepak Chikramane

Mumbai

Future imperfect

8226; At 61, India is grumpy. India is neither shining nor is it with the aam aadmi. A gold at the Olympics is just not enough as a feel-good factor. India has been upbeat on the 62nd Independence Day, with crowds having gone on the rampage everywhere in recent memory: in Jammu and Kashmir, in Nandigram or even in Rajasthan. We have not only become an agitated nation but also a short-tempered one. The angry young man has been replaced by an angry India. Where is the once peace-loving India headed?

8212; Farzana Nigar

Ranchi

Letter of the Week Award

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