Difficult choices

• I Completely endorse the author’s point of view with regard to the BJP’s need for an intellectual accreditation which it can never procure precisely because of its politics of intolerance. At the same time, there is no credible secular alternative — primarily because of the lack of acceptance of Sonia Gandhi and her family. To prevent the further disintegration of our culture and social fabric, opposition parties must get their act together and suggest an alternative whereby everyone is included and no one is excluded.

— Pramod Arikal Chennai

• The Congress Party’s decline started when it was hijacked by dynastic persuasions. This very reason prompted the rise of the BJP. However, what the author has enumerated about the Congress Party, while true, has a past tense quality. People are interested in the present and the future. At present the Congress does not offer what the voters look for in a decent political party. The BJP, by carrying along many smaller parties, had been showing the strength of inclusiveness. It may contain some groups with extreme views. But in general it is a functioning party and is quickly learning from mistakes and changing when required. Unless the Congress Party relinquishes its dynastic persuasions and looks forward, it will be relegated to the opposition benches every time an election is held.

— Saratchandran On e-mail

Keep this promise

• Voters in the world’s largest democracy are now in the process of deciding for themselves who will be the beneficiaries of their ballots. Presumably this decision will be based in large measure on the manifestoes released by each and every political party. It is, however, a different matter that once in power, the victorious party takes no action on the promises made, and sometimes even backtracks on key issues, leaving voters in the lurch. This is nothing but a breach of contract. Manifestoes are a covenant between political parties and the people. Hence, politicians must be made accountable for the promises made during electoral campaigns. The powers that be must look into this and take appropriate steps.

— N.R.L. Mony Sivaganga

Neighbour’s pride

• France and Germany had a long history of violence, but they finally learnt how to co-exist peacefully and prosperously. If they can be good neighbours, why can’t India and Pakistan? History can be changed but not geography — friends can be changed but not neighbours. Due to persistent hostility, both countries have lost great opportunities of providing good lives for millions of their people, the proof being that South Asia has some of the poorest people on earth. The money which should be spent on social development ends up being spent on arms and ammunition.

— Afzal Rahim Islamabad