Letters to the editor

Seema Chishti8217;s 8216;Shoaib effect and Indian Muslims8217; deserves congratulations although the phrase 8216;Indian Muslims8217; is a bit jarring.

No identity stasis

8226; Seema Chishti8217;s 8216;Shoaib effect and Indian Muslims8217; deserves congratulations although the phrase 8216;Indian Muslims8217; is a bit jarring. Nobody says 8216;Indian Hindus8217;, so why should it be different for Muslims? After all, as the traumatised Gujarati woman put it, 8220;This is my land.8221;

The writer is right to stress that 8220;the new identity which, in many ways, is a work in progress8221;. I feel Azim Premji, the doyen of the Indian IT sector, typifies this emerging identity. He is modern,forward-looking, and as much of a nationalist as anyone else. Look at the socio-religious backgrounds of WIPRO employees and this will become clear. I am sure Muslims in India, imbued with a modern identity, will carve a niche for themselves. Economic development and personal aggrandisement brook no bars 8212; whether it is that of religion or nationalism.

8212; S.R. Kasbekar

Mumbai

8226; In her article, 8216;The Shoaib effect and Indian Muslims8217;, Seema Chishti has reconfirmed what Mahatma Gandhi envisioned. The two-nation theory based on religion has failed in Pakistan, too. Indian Muslims have gone far ahead of what even Mohmmad Ali Jinnah had argued for while carving out a separate nation.

8212; Naval Langa

Ahmedabad

Spies of the land

8226; The discerning piece, 8216;Malice in Blunderland8217; by former cabinet secretary, T.S.R. Subramanian, and your editorial, Spy versus shy confirm, if confirmation was needed, that while the Official Secrets Act is a disgrace for any democracy; the country can afford to do without a toothless CBI like the one it is currently paying for. The powers-that-be at the country8217;s helm of affairs seem to have no respect for public money. Otherwise, they would not tolerate the rot which Maj Gen V.K. Singh has exposed in the country8217;s external intelligence agency. Look at how the CBI applied different standards of investigation in cases involving Mayawati and Mulayam Singh, one a reigning CM, and another who reigned as CM immediately before her. Who says there is determination to fight corruption in high places and a commitment to transparency?

8212; Prasad Malladi

Basivireddypeta, AP

Scions8217; age

8226; Sudheendra Kulkarni8217;s article, 8216;Some Gandhian lessons for the Gandhis8217; contains one grave factual error. According to Kulkarni, Harilal Gandhi died in 1955. The fact is that Harilal Gandhi died on June 18, 1948, barely six month after Gandhiji8217;s assassination. Let Kulkarni enrich his knowledge by devoting more to reading instead of criticising others. He criticises the Congress for appointing 37-year-old Rahul Gandhi the general secretary of the party. Let me tell him that Gandhiji became an accepted leader of Indians in South Africa when he was barely 33 years old. The Congress unanimously chose 41-year-old Subhas Chandra Bose as the president of the party in 1938. A person8217;s ability, sincerity, competence and integrity are more important factors than his age. And today we need dynamic leaders.

8212; Hitesh Parmar

Rajkot

Classical mechanics

8226; THE 8216;Chak De8217; effect seems to have spilled over to our cricket team and the Sensex, which touched the historic high of 18,000, defying gravity. Our economy is doing very well but mid-term polls could spoil the party. What8217;s gone up will come down!

8212; S.N. Kabra Mumbai