Opinion Equality,not charity
In the report,Give a little (IE,May 3),the statement made by Harsh Mander is misleading
Equality,not charity
* In the report,Give a little (IE,May 3),the statement made by Harsh Mander is misleading. Langar is the tradition of sharing food,not giving it. Food is prepared and distributed among all those present in the gurdwara. Everyone sits on the same mattress on the floor to eat the food. Langar does not distinguish between rich and poor,influential and powerless. Mander should go to a gurdwara and see for himself. Guru Nanaks idea of langar had nothing to do with charity. It was a revolutionary step to fight the caste system. Langar,where Brahmins had to sit next to untouchables and share food,broke the barriers of caste. Women could also sit next to men. Contrary to what Mander says,President Pranab Mukherjee can go to any gurdwara and share food with sweepers,labourers and rickshaw-pullers.
Ajeet Cour
House arrested
* THIS refers to the editorial House truths (IE,May 10). The ruling party has the next election on its mind and wishes to rush through the bills that could translate into votes. The countrys prosperity depends on a sound economic base. The rush to pass the food security bill,which will mean an additional burden on the economy,should be halted in favour of more detailed discussion and debate. Introducing such bills when there is no time for political parties to express their views only adds to the logjam. The Congress must take into confidence all political parties,including those in the opposition,and try to evolve a consensus on all issues. That would help in the efficient functioning of the House.
S.C. Vaid
Greater Noida
Being social
* APROPOS Socially networked election by Baijayant Jay Panda (IE,May 10),social media has indeed helped spread the word. It has provided a platform to advertise,give opinions and fight for social causes. Its influence in vote-bank politics is also anticipated. But elections in India are a different ballgame altogether from those in the in US. In India,electoral equations,voting behaviour and the ways in which voters are influenced are entirely different.The digital divide is still dominant. Social media has an urban bias and can only influence voters of a particular age group. A political party or its supporters on social media cannot provide information in the same way mainstream media do. Social media lacks authenticity and reliability. Political rivalries are often depicted in bad taste on such media. The people of India are wise enough to keep in mind ground realities.
Anchit Mathur
Delhi
The long game
* THIS refers to the editorial The Ferguson Legacy (IE,May 10). Longevity seems to be the hallmark of Manchester United. Matt Busby,Bob Charlton,Ryan Giggs and,of course,Alex Ferguson have had extraordinarily long careers at United. As for Ferguson,his talent is probably greater than any of the players on the field these past 27 years. It is comforting for fans to see him continue at the club as director.
Sunil Pawar
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