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• In Stem this Alien Nation, P Chidambaram has cited the Punjab precedent. In my view there is no comparison between the Sikh situation...

• In Stem this Alien Nation, P Chidambaram has cited the Punjab precedent. In my view there is no comparison between the Sikh situation in the 80’s and the Muslim situation now. The Sikh militancy did not arise from despair or alienation but from the falsely inspired aspiration for secession which was never bought by the Sikh masses. Muslim ‘despair and alienation’ have been built up over decades, particularly since 1975, during the Emergency and after Indira Gandhi’s restoration with a tactical Hindu tilt. The Assam Massacre, 1983, the Hashimpura killing, 1987, the demolition of 1992, and the Gujarat genocide of 2002, have scarred the psyche of the Muslim community and left them in a state of physical and religious siege and with a consciousness of impotence, embittered by their disillusionment with the secular parties, all subject to majoritarian pressures in varying degrees and the loss of faith in the Legislature and the Judiciary. A sense of concern for the Muslim Indian must pervade the society as a whole, to regenerate confidence and hope among the beleaguered Muslims. This is the only way.
—Syed Shahabuddin

• I am a Muslim American of Indian origin. I am very proud of my Indian heritage. To me, Pakistan or Bangladesh are just another countries. I want India to prosper. But selfish leaders like Narendra Modi are taking her to a disastrous path. I heartily compliment P Chidambaram for a visionary article (Stem this Alien Nation, The Sunday Express, Sept 7). I hope, more and more people begin to appreciate what he says for the good of the country I love.
— Syed N. Hoda

• What bothers one about the Gujarat riots is the complicity of the state government. Individuals might take a communal and merciless approach. But what when the state behaves like this? A government is still the mai-baap in the country. It is the last refuge. The only action which Godhra should have invited was a rapid prosecution of the perpetrators of the Godhra violence.
— N P Srinivasan

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• Well, I feel Stem this Alien Nation was a ‘‘politically incorrect’’ one. P Chidambaram is right in his assessment that the most important challenge facing the country is the growing divide between Hindus and Muslims, but he is wrong in his assessment and holding the BJP responsible for the evil. His original Congress parivar is responsible for the malaise. The BJP feels that both Hindus and Muslims are part and parcel of one culture and one nation despite some differences and that there should not be any distinction between the two on the basis of religion. There should be common civil code for all Indians, the same treatment for all states including Jammu and Kashmir.
— K.G.Acharya

• What worries me as an Indian, as a Muslim and as a human being (funny, I always thought they were all interchangeable), is that demonising a section of the society seems to be a growing trend in India. And the fact that many of the ‘‘educated’’ classes seem to be affected by this kind of deep-rooted hostility makes it all the more worrisome. I would hate to think that we are going the same way as some countries were going in the recent past: like Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Bosnia, etc. Long live India.
— S Ali

• This is with reference to Tavleen Singh’s (To kill a starving life, The Sunday Express, Sept 7). It is indeed a mystery as to why do we still have, post-1991, so many leftists pontificating on the virtues of a discredited ‘ism’ which has brought nothing but misery for several generations of Indians. Even the Jan Sangh (BJP) and by extension the RSS, which opposed (along with Congress-O and Rajaji’s Swatantra Party) measures such as nationalisation of banks, general insurance, etc. at great public abuse have now become votaries of govt ownership! Until this is rectified, most of our middle-class people will continue to believe in the wonders of Socialism!
— Gopi Maliwal

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Friday, Sept. 26, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

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