Express your voice

• With reference to Hindu knocks, highest court opens its doors, (The Sunday Express, November 9). It is unfortunate that our elected representatives think themselves to be above the law of the land. If they are going on the wrong track or others think so, who shall check them? The act of the Tamil Nadu House reminds the days of Emergency during Indira Gandhi’s regime. Every one knows Consequences of her Emergency.
— Mahesh Kumar

• An otherwise good analysis of the Sri Lankan situation — in which P Chidambaram recounts briefly the history of the Tamil-Sinhala conflict in Sri Lanka and India’s involvement — is marred by some glaring omissions and misinterpretations. A glaring omission is that he does not even mention the LTTE’s responsibility for the assassination of Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, a criminal act for which Prabhakaran is a wanted man by the Indian criminal justice system. Neither does he mention the horrible acts of murder, violence and mayhem conducted against the Sinhala people by the LTTE, which included the killings of hundreds of Buddhist pilgrims, nor the slaughter of 700 policemen who had surrendered, nor the innocent villagers, mainly women, nor the killing of hundreds of Muslims at prayer in the Jaffna mosque. Chidambaram’s record of iniquities appear to be confined to those of Sinhalese against Tamils!
— Dr M Ladduwahetty

	• I agree with many of P Chidambaram’s observations on the Sri Lankan crisis (Lanka: That sinking feeling, The Sunday Express, Nov 9). But he mentions that ‘‘The resentment among the Sinhala-speaking population was exploited by the political leaders and the Buddhist clergy.’’ Story continues below this ad I want to clarify that the Buddhist clergy did not or do not try to raise the Sinhala people against Tamils or any other people. In Sri Lanka, the Buddhist clergy has the responsibility to protect the country’s territorial integrity. It is not exploitation. What about the traditional Tamil politicians? Did they do everything in a proper manner? Sri Lanka is a country that has Tamil as a national language. After the 1983 July carnage, as a nation, the Sinhalese have carried themselves in a responsible manner, and have never let any anti-Tamil violence happen in the island. Even now, any Tamil can travel to any part of the country, but Sinhalese have to risk their lives if they travel to Northern Sri Lanka. What the Sinhalese cannot agree is to divide the country, even at the advise of some global power. I think people in India also won’t like to give even a centimetre of their land to anybody else. — — Chandima Fonseka

• P Chidambaram has tried his best to shield Rajiv Gandhi and ignore his mistakes. He says history will judge the wisdom of Rajiv Gandhi’s decision. But isn’t the jury already out on this issue? The author also fails to mention of India’s support to LTTE in the earlier stages, India’s transgression of Lankan airspace and dropping relief supplies to LTTE and other such incorrect decisions of Rajiv Gandhi. Readers like me would have liked to see your opinion on what India should do given the circumstances. But you have carefully avoided this topic.
— Shankar Ranganathan

• Apropos Tavleen Singh’s column This Mrs G and that Mrs G (The Sunday Express, November 9). Yes, Indira Gandhi did very little for India, even though she was in a position to do a lot. But when it comes to comparing the two Mrs Gandhis, it is the persona that stands in sharp contrast. This Mrs Gandhi comes across as a woman who knows nothing about India. That Mrs Gandhi knew India in and out.
— Saroj K. Mishra