Letters To The Editor

It is ironical that while India played a significant political and diplomatic role in ushering ‘secularism’ into Nepal...

Nepal shrugs

• It is ironical that while India played a significant political and diplomatic role in ushering ‘secularism’ into Nepal, the last bastion of a politically Hindu state in the world (‘Nepal, it’s now secular’, IE, May 19), India itself is full of religious fanatics of the Hindu faith, including the followers of the RSS and its other compatriots. Now that Nepal has succeeded in overthrowing its Hindu royalty, hopefully once and for all, perhaps in India the Hindus in general and the BJP in particular should take concrete steps to declare Hinduism — like any other religion— as purely a matter of personal faith, in line with the solemnly procured secularism in the very preamble of the Constitution.

— Sameer Kumar, New Delhi

• It was really a sad day for Nepal in particular and all Hindus in general when the new government in Nepal announced the ending of its Hindu status and identity.

— Sudhir K. Bhave, New Delhi

Above the law?

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• Our parliamentarians/ legislators now consider themselves supreme and above the law as they have been unfortunately empowered to manipulate the law of the land. A good many of our legislators are criminals and law-breakers. It is, therefore, no surprise that politicians are enraged over the demolition drive (‘Demolition their peg, MPs get together’, IE, May 20). One fine morning you may find a law passed for withdrawing all criminal cases against MPs/MLAs!

— N.N. Srivastava, New Delhi

Another inquiry!

• The two inquiry commissions set up by Congress governments and the last one by the BJP-led NDA could not agree on the cause of Subhas Chandra Bose’s death. As rightly suggested in your editorial,‘Ends of endings’ (IE, May 18), it is time to move on. However, there is still a need for a commission of inquiry to find out the approximate amount the three inquiry commissions cost the nation.

— Dalip Singh Ghuman, Chandigarh

Speak, PM

• The agitations for and against reservations (‘Violence in Patna quota stir’, IE, May 20) have created a seriously confrontationist situation. Both sides represent intense and opposite reactions. In such a charged atmosphere, the silence and inaction of the prime minister is very disturbing. He should have shown maturity and initiated immediate steps to defuse passions. Any further delay is going to badly vitiate the social order in the country. Bad blood and violence leading to riots cannot be ruled out.

— J.K. Mago, Panchkula

History’s legacy

• Apropos of Ravinder Kaur’s ‘Caste away the stigma’ (IE, May 16), after Independence the advisory committee on fundamental rights recommended special privileges for the uplift of the lower castes. Unfortunately these were grossly abused by the self-proclaimed Dalit leaders. Can social justice be actually restored to such a cross-section of society at the cost of gross injustice to the rest?

— Pritpal Singh, New Delhi

Tejashwi’s Bihar election promise — ‘Will bin Waqf law if INDIA bloc comes to power’

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Tejashwi Yadav, leader of RJD, vows to revoke Waqf Act in Bihar if elected, citing it as a threat to Constitutional equality. He criticizes CM Nitish Kumar for aligning with BJP and RSS and emphasizes the need for development in Seemanchal region. Yadav accuses BJP of using agencies to intimidate him and promises job creation for all households in Bihar.

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