Letters to the EDITOR

This refers to Pratap Bhanu Mehta8217;s...

Media8217;s mandate

8226;This refers to Pratap Bhanu Mehta8217;s 8216;People8217;s media?8217;. The writer has raised some pertinent questions about the role of the media vis-a-vis the CPM8217;s advocacy for its regulation by the state. While one can understand the 8216;agony8217; of the CPM behind Karat8217;s latest demand 8212; it is due to its 8216;exposure8217; by the media on various national and regional issues 8212; the media the visual media, in particular needs to do some explaining to the people of the country. As Mehta has rightly pointed out 8220;competition has failed in the accountability of the media itself8221;. Liberalism of the media must be associated with ethics and self-regulation, which are perhaps missing. It also becomes imperative for the media to acquire greater credibility without any discrimination and ensure that 8220;everything8221; should not be for sale. The media needs to play a positive role 8216;assigned8217; to it so as to be the people8217;s media in the true sense.

8212; S.K. Gupta

Delhi

Rambling patriarch

8226;The demands of the Shiv Sena chief, Bal Thackeray, to reserve 50 per cent of flats in the upcoming residential towers in Mumbai for Marathi people appear to be the ramblings of a political patriarch desperate to be back in power. A man never known to mince his words when it comes to bold announcements, his penchant for playing to the gallery has often caused controversies. Thackeray8217;s intentions of securing Maharashtra for the Marathi 8216;manus8217; with such schemes will lead to the alienation of the state from the rest of India; not long ago he envisaged a national presence for his party. In the present context, he should remember how the Lt. Governor of Delhi had to eat his words recently over the identity cards issue.

8212; Pachu Menon

Margao, Goa

8226;I feel Bal Thackeray8217;s remark, 8216;Narendra Modi won8217;t be accepted in Maharashtra8230;8217; was unwarranted. I am sure most Indians will agree that the patterns may differ, like the path, but ultimately the goal 8212; Hindutva 8212; is paramount. I am glad the BJP has downplayed his remark and thereby shown maturity. Modi, in fact, is inspired by the same spirit of Hindutva as Balasaheb.

8212; Kedarnath R. Aiyar

Mumbai

Uncaring selectors

8226;While it is the job of the selectors to pick the best possible team for every match, announcing the selection for the Tri series at the time that it was avoidable. The euphoria over the team8217;s Perth performance after the Sydney kerfuffle has gone sour by the uncaring attitude of the BCCI. Whether Ganguly should have been retained or not in the squad is not the issue. It is about how shabbily we treat our cricketers. This very team could have been announced after the current Test.

8212; Roda D. Hakim

Baroda

Inclusivist8217;s omission

8226;Rajindar Sachar8217;s article 8216;The Hinduism I know8217; was a convincing rebuttal to Arun Shourie8217;s concocted version of Hinduism. No one individual however accomplished, well-read or knowledgeable, has the right to be the upholder of a religion, especially a religion like Hinduism, which is so diverse. The only point where I agree with Shourie is that there are certain elements within Islam that are obscurantist. Shourie reduces the significance of a very valid point by resorting to a tirade against Islam. What explanation do people like Shourie have for the contributions of numerous Muslims to Indian society. But then, we know, it is all because of vote-bank politics.

8212; Navraj Brar

Ludhiana