Letters To The Editor

— Navdeep Randhawa, Chandigarh

• COMING in the wake of the Mumbai blasts, the government’s decision to block some of the blogs that may carry strong anti-national messages is indeed draconian. What the government has overlooked in its bid to control security is that among the affected sites was one that was providing details about the victims admitted in the hospitals of Mumbai. If someone has to send an anti-national message, they could easily do so from another site that is not hosted from India. Countries such as China and Iran too tried to do that but without much success. The government must find better ways to address the country’s security concerns.

— Abhishek Law, Kolkata

American cant

• ISN’T it strange that America snubbed India for accusing Pakistan of having a hand in the Mumbai blasts? May one ask America what proof it had when it attacked Iraq or Afghanistan? We all know that WMDs were more perceived than real and Osama bin Laden is yet to be found. We must act on our own in our national interest and not worry about what America has to say.

— Rashneek, Delhi

Shrine access

• KERALA Minister G. Sudhakaran has taken objection to the suggestion of K.R. Gauri, a former minister, that the Sabarimala temple be made accessible to women. This is surprising and painful, since it comes from a minister in a state cabinet which is sworn to secularism and gender justice. It is wrong to hold the view that these rituals which are discriminatory to women are not the concern of the government. In this connection I may mention, Nehru took a bold stand and insisted on passing in 1952 the Hindu Women Right to Property Act, notwithstanding the serious objections raised by leaders like Rajendra Prasad and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Had Nehru wavered at the reaction of the medieval religious slogans, the law would not have come into force and the advancement of Indian women would have suffered. The Kerala government has an endowment board, gives some funds, and has a hand in managing the temple. It is not permissible for the government to take a neutral stand on the issue of women praying at the temple.

— Rajindar Sachar, New Delhi

Singhal’s animus

• THE report, ‘Singhal wisdom: time for another Gujarat jhatka’ (IE, July 19), is indeed scary. It is surprising that neither the BJP nor RSS has publicly castigated Ashok Singhal and the VHP for such statement. Does this mean that the BJP and RSS support him? Should not the government arrest him for inciting communal hatred?

— R.P. Desai, New Delhi