Letters to the editor

J.S. Bandukwala has done a Gandhi, going by many of his statements expressed in the article...

Secular salve

8226; J.S. Bandukwala has done a Gandhi, going by many of his statements expressed in the article, 8216;Glimmer in dark Gujarat8217;. The bitter history of the Partition riots, in which two million persons were killed, proves that his statement, 8220;what Gujarat badly needs today is the healing touch of a Mahatma Gandhi8221;, is far from true. What Gandhi8217;s insistence on Hindu-Muslim unity did was to remind the people of their separate religious identities. What India and not just Gujarat needs today is a strong feeling of patriotism and nationalism, which can ensure genuine secularism. According to secular principles, religion is a person8217;s private affair and the state should have nothing to do with any religion. It is necessary that politicians and the media avoid the use of all words connoting religion as far as possible and that no special rights and privileges are given to anybody on the basis of his religion.

8212; S.R. More

Mumbai

Gunning in the dark

8226; The article, 8216;Glimmer in dark Gujarat8217; shows that J.S. Bandukwala has got it wrong. If Bandukwala were really interested in peace in vibrant Gujarat, he would not have attempted to recall the unhappy riots in the most progressive state in the country, where peace prevails now. By continuously blaming Hindu organisations for riots while avoiding reference to the main cause that provoked the riots 8212; namely the ruthless burning of innocent 59 Hindus 8212; Bandukwala has only proved to be a shrewd Tarun Tejpal of Tehelka. Bandukwala had better advise his co-religionists to limit their religion to their personal lives and think of India first and last.

8212; K.G. Acharya

Mumbai

More fables

8226; Apropos of your editorial, 8216;RAW fables8217;, Sankaran Nair had not only teamed up with Rajiv Gandhi and Buta Singh to help with the successful conduct of the Asian Games in 1982, but much to the discomfort of the IFS boys this 8216;Kao boy8217; also later served as India8217;s high commissioner in Singapore with great distinction. He succeeded Ramji Kao 8212; not preceded him as wrongly stated by your reporter. Selective snoops of Nair8217;s book are all one can attempt in restricted space. But will the Express stand up to its motto 8216;truth involves us all8217; and say something about the wordy duel Nair had with Morarji Desai over the ethics of an intelligence organisation created in the national interest. He, in fact, asked to be relieved of his post owing to a conflict of ideas with the PM whom he directly interacted with as the chief, unlike what happens today.

8212; Mukund B. Kunte

New Delhi

Swat-ting liberals

8226; Pervez Musharraf claims to be saving Pakistan from 8216;suicide,8217; which he says stems from 8216;religious militancy8217;. Yet, armed militias are being allowed to overrun Swat. The Shariah has been imposed, Pakistani flags on government buildings replaced by religious ones, and the Frontier Constabulary in Daroshkhela town disarmed and disbanded by the militants. These are grim portents with roots in the US backed military-mullah alliance of the 1980s. Musharraf has chosen to wage war against Pakistan8217;s liberals instead of combating fundamentalist militants.

We express our support and solidarity with Pakistani civil society in its twin struggle against Musharraf8217;s tyrannical rule and religious fundamentalism. We demand the immediate lifting of the emergency and hope the international community will support the people of Pakistan in their hour of need and help the country8217;s transition to genuine democracy.

8212; Kamla Bhasin and others

New Delhi