Look again

Arif Mohammed Khan has alleged that prominent Muslim organisations like Jama8217;at-e-Islami Hind...

8226; Arif Mohammed Khan has alleged that prominent Muslim organisations like Jama8217;at-e-Islami Hind, Muslim Majlise Mush-awarat and Muslim Personal Law Board are not interested in education or social reform. Perhaps he has forgotten that he himself completed his primary education from a school managed by Jama8217;at-e-Islami Hind in Rampur, UP. It is very unfortunate that he is ignorant of thousands of educational institutions run by Jama8217;at-e-Islami throughout the country. He is also unaware of the all India campaign on an 8220;Islamic Family System8221; launched by Jama8217;at two years ago.

Khan has mentioned an incid-ent in which he was allegedly attacked by students who were supporters of Jama8217;at-e-Islami. According to his own versions, the incident occurred two decades ago and he did not report it at that time. And how could he recognise the assailants if there was a blackout?

As for the boycott call given by the Mushawarat, it was withdrawn, as admitted by Khan himself. This was one solitary instance and the boycott is certainly a legitimate democratic means of protest. Does Khan want to deprive Muslims of the right to protest against state inaction, bias and incompetence?

8212;S.Q.R. Ilyas

Media in-charge, Jama8217;at-e-Islami Hind, New Delhi

Disarming views

8226; Shekhar Gupta has taken up a timely and worrying development in 8216;Chain of command, demand8217;. One wonders whether the trinity of chiefs have thought through the issue before raising their flag of revolt 8212; sorry, defiance. As it is, our polity fears the armed forces more as a threat to their daily misdemeanours, than as a source of challenge to their power of governance. The civil services always keep looking for an opportunity to put them in their place, because they are jealous that the armed forces enjoy such affection from the people. Now, it appears the three chiefs have invited on themselves quite a crisis of confidence.

8212;Prasad Malladi

Nidadavole

8226; I would like to say that the armed forces have done nothing wrong and no precedent is set. India is a democratic country and democracy is also meant for the armed forces. They felt that the pay commission8217;s recommendations were not justified, so they protested. What is wrong?

In India, the armed forces are loyal and very apolitical, as Shekhar Gupat has mentioned.

8212;Sunil Dogra New Delhi

In a nano-second

8226; On Tata Motors8217; decision to shift their Nano plant from Singur, you have commented correctly in your editorial 8216;Singur elegy8217; that this is a victory for nobody. Not for Mamata Banerjee, who lost control of another movement she launched for short-term political gain; not for the CPM, which has lost an opportunity to push through much-needed development thanks to its own dismal past record on such projects.

8212;Dilbag Rai

Chandigarh