Fission, friction

One finds an utter lack of coherence between the views expressed by the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP over the nuclear deal.

8226; One finds an utter lack of coherence between the views expressed by the ruling Congress and the opposition BJP over the nuclear deal. Whereas in the United States both the Republican Party and the Democratic Party have been consistently supportive and united over this important foreign policy issue. This should serve as a lesson for both the Congress and the BJP to shed their petty political interests and unite for the sake of supreme national interests.

8212; Sourabh Jyoti Sharma

New Delhi

Introspect

8226; Arif Mohammed Khan has admirably brought out the way vote hungry politicians support representatives of outfits like SIMI. Vote bank politics, coalition compulsions and corruption have made India a soft state. To fight and finish this scourge a strong and intellectually honest government is necessary. Presently it is not so.

8212; S.S. Chowdhary

Chandigarh

8226; Arif Mohammed Khan needs to be congratulated for articulating the views of a large section of the silent majority of Indian Muslims. One may agree or disagree with him about his views but the fact remains that the Muslim community needs serious introspection.

The initiative taken by the Jamiat-ul-Ulema-e-Hind, which organised a large anti-terrorism rally in Delhi some months ago, and the Darul Uloom, Deoband, which issued a fatwa condemning terrorism, are manifestations of the same thinking. The issue of terrorism needs to be debated at all levels without any fear or prejudice against any community or individual.

8212; Obaid Siddiqui

New Delhi

It8217;s defection

8226; The editorial 8216;Call it defection?8217; was surprising. The elected representative has two entities which make him represent the people. One, his personal qualities as a public worker, and the other the party he belongs to, with its agenda. Political parties have ways to discuss various issues and make policies which actually represent more people. An elected representative in the name of a party has to adhere to the policies of the party or else leave the party before he commits something against it. The elected representative who goes against the party whip actually cheats the people who elected him.

8212; Suma

New Delhi

That8217;s rude

8226; In 8216;Service chiefs back off after Antony tough talk8217;, the reports says that the defence minister did some 8220;uncharacteristic plain speaking8221; to the service chiefs. There is nothing 8220;uncharacteristic8221; in the minister8217;s rude remarks to the service chiefs. Rough talk is characteristic of ministers, be it the health minister to the AIIMS chief or now the defence minister to the service chiefs.

8212; A. S. Vedanarayanan

Pune