So many questions

Look at this

• This refers to the report ‘PM writes to Jaya: Handle His Holiness with extreme care’ (IE, November 26). Though Manmohan Singh is one of the best PMs, even he has had to sup with criminals and murderers of different parties. And while they rule the country, the Hindu community’s holiest person languishes in a cell.

— Narinder Saxena Barcelona

We will overcome

• The announcement of our prime minister to cut the number of forces in Kashmir was appreciated by people across the country and the world. Now the visit of Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz to India adds more depth to the peace process. India and Pakistan can settle their problems by talking to each other. We do not need mediation by any third country.

— Md. Mudassir Alam Aligarh

Be quiet

• Views on sensitive cases, such as Best Bakery or the Shankaracharya case, are freely expressed by political leaders, religious heads and the press. Many raise their voices in support of or against the accused, even as the cases are in different stages of the judicial process. This is not wise or proper. Everyone must refrain from commenting on a case when the police inquiry or the trial is in progress.

— T. Vasanthi On e-mail

Only Hindu

• Apropos of your editorial ‘BJP exhumes the past’ (IE, November 26), it is a fact that India is secular because Hindus are in majority. Hindus, traditionally, give more to minorities than to themselves. Muslims may pretend to be secular in India but you know in your heart that once they are in majority, they will not be secular. The plight of the Kashmiri Pandits is a case in point.

— Satish Kumar Toronto

Treat him right

• We want to convey our deep concern over the ill treatment of the Kanchi Sankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati. We are deeply anguished about the treatment meted out to the Shankaracharya as if he is a proven criminal. He is only an accused and the courts will judge his innocence or lack of it. But he should have been treated with respect in keeping with his status.

— Purushottam Kumar and others Milwaukee

Come on, talk

• Jaithirth Rao’s ‘Hello, silence’ (IE, November 26) made an excellent point. If all that the liberal Democrats can contribute to discussion is to mock opponents and treat them with contempt, then they will lose their position in the US polity. I, for one, would consider this a bad thing. Although a Republican myself, I realise that a functional opposition is necessary.

— Lauren Coats On e-mail