Letters To The Editor

Conceding to the demand of the law-breakers would mean rewarding them and punishing law-abiding citizens. Governments at the Centre and in the states are in the habit of succumbing to mob frenzy out of electoral considerations. They pass ordinances and amend laws with retrospective effect, as they did over Ulhasnagar. The government also amends laws in order to keep the illegalities perpetrated by the law-breakers out of the purview of judicial intervention. The Supreme Court is the last recourse for the law-abiding citizen; it should not allow the dadagiri of the lawbreaking mobs and political villains to succeed.

8212; Joydeep Banerjee, Chembur

Sir Syed8217;s project

8226; Apropos of 8216;Counting, counting and adding up to nothing8217; IE, November 3, it might be relevant to mention that long before any committee report or even independence, the educational backwardness of the Muslim community in India was known to all. In fact, Sir Syed realised this even in the 19th century and founded the Aligarh Muslim University. Little has been done to change this situation in post-independence India. The leaders of the community have a shared vested interest with mainstream political parties in diverting the community8217;s attention to non-existent demons of discrimination and threat to religious freedom. The resources of the community have gone into setting up more and more madrassas instead of secular schools and colleges. Leaders like Maulana Wahiduddin are ignored in their attempts to guide the community towards a modern outlook while remaining true to their faith. As long as the community does not rid itself of its imagined fears of discrimination and persecution, it will continue to be exploited by politicians of all shades.

8212; Satish Dayal, New Delhi

Muslim welfare

8226; The prime minister has stressed the need for minorities to get a 8220;fair share8221; in government and private jobs 8216;It8217;s essential that minorities get a fair share8230;8217; IE, November 3. It is a very welcome initiative by him but I doubt if the really needy and the poorest of the poor in the community will get their share. As seen in the past, reservations given to everybody on a caste basis does not go to the poorest of the poor. It is the rich who always reap the benefits. We need to somehow reach the most needy within the Muslim community. That should be the agenda of the hour. Only then will Indian society as a whole progress.

8212; Ahmad Rais Siddiqi, New Delhi

8226; After the Sachar Committee8217;s findings became known, I expected our PM to reprimand the Muslim community for its dismal failures on all fronts. The government since independence has been fair to Muslims as a community, even at the cost of annoying the majority community. Manmohan Singh should have rapped the community8217;s leaders and clergy for misleading their people through religious rhetoric.

8212; Kedarnath R. Aiyar, Mumbai