Letters to the editor

It was really heartening to read about the intentions of the government to bring development in the Northeast...

Northeast as route

8226; It was really heartening to read about the intentions of the government to bring development in the Northeast Look Northeast policy and I wish it all the very best in its efforts. Had it not adopted the 8216;Look East8217; policy a few years ago, the Northeast would have been left to whither away, without anybody to even notice. The 8216;Look East8217; policy came into play because Thailand and Myanmar, which are a part and parcel of the policy, could be accessed only through the Northeast.

But until development projects are implemented with seriousness and considerable investment takes place, the Northeast will continue to be dominated by various warring authorities, which have between themselves carved up the region to their advantage. These elements will leave their hide-outs only when suitable alternative avenues of occupation are offered to them. That will not happen unless investments are made on the ground, either by the government or big companies.

8212; L.T. Ngaihte

New Delhi

China example

8226; China recently expressed its 8216;extreme anger8217; and 8216;severe hurt8217; caused to it when the US president met the Dalai Lama and gave him the highest civilian award. I am in no way supporting the Chinese stand vis-agrave;-vis Tibet. The only point I wish to make is that the Chinese have always acted in their national interest, as they perceived it. We, in contrast, accept every slight. We don8217;t even point the finger when the actions of others are detrimental to our interests. To take one example, when Pakistani dignitaries come to India, they are allowed to meet the separatist leaders of Jammu and Kashmir, whose declared objectives are against the unity and integrity of the country. Our government does not seem to know that such gestures and allowances made will never translate into any worthwhile breakthroughs. Anti-nationals are anti-nationals.

8212; A. Paramesham

Hyderabad

Long, tedious haul

8226; Apropos of 8216;Life in jail For Amarmani8230; and CP fake killing to Kanpur to Coimbatore: Life for all, truly, Wednesday was the day of life sentences. Although many of these cases were delayed greatly, the judgments restored some faith in the judiciary.

Now we need to ensure that those responsible for the Babri Masjid demolition and the Bombay riots are brought to book, as indeed the culprits behind the 1984 Sikh killings and the Gujarat riots. It is a blot on our criminal justice system that they are today walking free. Unless these people too are made to see the insides of a jail, we cannot rest content.

8212; Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee

Faridabad

Pandits8217; protests

8226; It is the prerogative of the editor to decide on the news items he carries, but I am surprised, to say the least, that you did not choose to give even a token coverage to recent protests. Over the last one year, the exiled Pandits have held more than five impressive and fairly large protests, right here in Delhi, and none was reported by your newspaper.

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Even the greatly important protest against Bitta Karate, considered the butcher of Pandits, found no mention in your paper. I can understand politicians playing to the gallery, but it puzzles me no end when I see The Indian Express doing the same.

8212; Rashneek Kher

New Delhi