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This is an archive article published on July 1, 2009
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Opinion First tasks

It’s good to know that India is trying to reopen the Stilwell Road...

July 1, 2009 05:47 AM IST First published on: Jul 1, 2009 at 05:47 AM IST

• It’s good to know that India is trying to reopen the Stilwell Road (‘Project Stilwell’,IE,June 26). However,it’s necessary to link India’s Northeast strongly with the mainland through roads and railways. The Union government needs to address the “disconnect” between the region and the rest of the country in real time. The Northeast is cut off due to lack of transportation and trade,cultural differences and extremism. Militants like the ULFA haven’t helped either. But immediate focus is required on transport and infrastructure. The real transportation bottleneck is of course the “chicken’s neck” linking the Northeast to West Bengal. While Kolkata has air links with Agartala over Bangladesh,it’s a pity surface transport through Bangladesh to the Northeast is not possible as of now; but if the current state of relations between India and Bangladesh last,that may not be wishful thinking.

On the other hand,reopening a road like the Stilwell or Ledo Road without integrating the Northeast with the country may be dangerous. India must endeavour to put the region firmly on its national map first,before opening it up to its neighbours.

— Raghu Seshadri

Chennai

Emergency legacy

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• The genesis of the Emergency was Indira Gandhi’s intention to circumvent the Allahabad high court judgment against her (‘Remembering Emergency…’,IE,June 26). But what she unleashed nearly destroyed Indian democracy and the Constitution. Her defeat in 1977 was fortunate for the country as it effectively precluded a recurrence of the Emergency. But the Janata government predictably bungled and again it was fortunate that Gandhi returned. In retrospect,the Emergency also paved the way for coalition governments at the Centre,which would however take hold only after another single-party landslide in 1984.

— M.K.D. Prasada Rao

Ghaziabad

Debating the veil

• This refers to ‘Don’t ban it,question it’ (IE,June 30). French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s description of burqa-clad women as “prisoners behind a screen” was tactless. It’s hypocritical to revere the veil or headscarf worn by Catholic nuns and revile the one Muslim women wear. The burqa is a symbol of empowerment. Nevertheless,there’s no categorical mention of the hijab in the Quran. Javed Anand is right that the Quran only commands people to be modest in their attire. It’s discretionary and not compulsory,and despite Anand’s claims,it does protect women.

— Mohd Y. Ansari

Meerut

• Javed Anand is right in asking for the “epistemological hijab” to be shed; that is,for the clergy to open its mind and return to the original scripture. Immigrants in the West angry with the ban should start an international debate in favour of the burqa. With sizeable Muslim populations,Western nations should proceed with caution. However,genuine individual choice should be respected,not someone else’s construing of individual choice.

— John Alexander

Nagpur

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