Communal clashes have erupted in Orissa, Karnataka and other parts of India. Jai Prakash Gupta from Ambala argues that we must find the true place for religion in our lives.• Pratap Bhanu Mehta in ‘What’s religion?’ has brilliantly deliberated on the concept of religion in our country. All too often, we confuse religion as a personal belief system, and as a way to conform to group identity. There needs to be further debate in the media at the national level. While thinking of religion as a social structure, our Anglicised brain fails to understand it as dharma — an internal code.Beware of Tigers • I refer to the editorial ‘All-party error’. Though the Tamil Nadu MPs are driven by compassion for the displaced Tamils of Sri Lanka, they are playing into the hands of the LTTE. The LTTE is clearly a terrorist outfit; it has even killed many of its own people. It is also wily, and untrustworthy, using every peace initiative to rearm itself. It will be a serious mistake for Tamil Nadu’s political leaders to place so much trust in the LTTE. The people of Tamil Nadu must ask their leaders which Tamils they truly represent — the suffering Tamils, or the terrorist LTTE?— Parimal Y. MehtaMumbai• It is surprising to learn that wars outside the nation arouse greater political attention than those occurring in India. The ultimatum given by Tamil Nadu MPs to the Centre has done nothing but worsen Centre-state relations. Let us fight for the appropriate cause of minimising civilian casualties, and ensure better rehabilitation of displaced Tamils instead of playing into the hands of the LTTE.— Ashwani SharmaGhaziabadDon’t jet-tison• The sacking of Jet airways employees was unceremonious. Thankfully, better sense has prevailed, and they have been reinstated. The aviation industry is going through rough times and it is understandable that airlines wish to cut costs. But the aspirations of youngsters who are making it to the industry must also be kept in mind. This unseemly fiasco could have easily been avoided.— S.N. KabraMumbaiClean judiciary• This refers to the Chief Justice of India’s directive to the high courts to weed out corruption from the lower judiciary. This is timely, and necessary. The cleansing of the higher judiciary is equally important. The bill on ensuring accountability in the judiciary must be quickly passed to ensure that this august institution remains credible in the eyes of the public.— R.J. KhuranaBhopalWhich Delhi? • At the Booker prize ceremony, the winner, Aravind Adiga is reported to have dedicated his book, “The White Tiger”, to the people of New Delhi, saying that, three hundred years ago, it was the most important city of the world. But “New” Delhi is a recent creation.— Ram GopalNew Delhi
