•Shekhar Gupta’s criticism of the UPA, particularly that of the home minister, Shivraj Patil, is very apt ‘Internal insecurity’. He has voiced the frustration and disgust felt by millions of Indians at the UPA’s record on internal security. But, judging from Shivraj Patil’s smug inefficiency that he uses to justify his soft posture, any change in policy emanating from the home ministry remains a distant dream. Gupta has rightly warned the ruling alliance of the adverse fallout of “this morally wrong and politically suicidal” approach in the next election.— M. Ratan New Delhi•If the Congress is not going after the terrorists for the fear of losing Muslim votes, the BJP is flip-flopping over punishing those involved in the 2002 Gujarat riots, afraid as it is of alienating Hindus thus. In both cases, electoral politics is the chief motive. Nevertheless, the UPA can no more go on deflecting public attention from its failure to tackle terror. Quoting lapses and compromises on the NDA’s watch will no longer help. Unless both the Congress and the BJP hold the security of Indians above their political interests, terror will continue to victimise us. In that case, even draconian laws like the POTA cannot help.— Satwant KaurMahilpurRight priorities• The headlines of your oped articles on August 3 ‘Nauseating weak’, ‘MPs on sale’, ‘A fragile polity, a broken nation’, ‘We are losing the war against jihadis’) convey India’s state of affairs. At the time of of independence, we witnessed barbaric riots. Although we left our home and hearth on the wrong side of the border, we received inspiration from leaders like Nehru, Patel, et al. Back then, politicians placed the national interest above all else. Now, personal and party interests take precedence. Not only this but also the method of functioning of a democracy such as ours have made India “a soft state”. — S.S. ChowdharyChandigarhFarewell comrade• Harkishan Singh Surjeet was one of the founder-members of the CPM and also one of the architects of the UPA government. A staunch opponent of communal politics, Surjeet had reasons to keep the BJP out of power after the 2004 general elections. It is sad that the Left betrayed the government the departed Marxist had helped forge. During Punjab’s days of terrorism, Surjeet had opposed tooth and nail the religious orthodoxy and violence. Surjeet was a patriot whose time in prison would add up to many years. A revolutionary and follower of Bhagat Singh, Surjeet had earned the ire of the British authorities at a very tender age. Even if one disagrees with his post-independence politics and his party, one cannot help paying him tribute. — B.K. ChatterjeeFaridabad
