Opinion Please talk
Apart from the substance of Manmohan Singhs joint statement with the Pakistan PM,the question is....
•Apart from the substance of Manmohan Singhs joint statement with the Pakistan PM,the question is: is it necessary to keep the door of dialogue open,with a troubled neighbour and a weak,indecisive government (All aboard,IE,July 31)? But,India and Pakistan have a common enemy: terrorism,emanating from Pakistani soil. If we dont keep dialogue open,what is the alternative,except a dangerous stalemate or at worst,war,which neither country can afford? The joint statement only indicates each countrys ultimate goal: peace within and without. The Congress chief Sonia Gandhi has done the right thing in backing the prime minister; not because he is the PM but because he has done the right thing under the circumstances.
Parimal Y. Mehta
No excuses
•In line with Pakistans long-held strategy of blaming India when its internal troubles get out of control,it has been holding India responsible for fomenting the separatist movement in Balochistan (House that,IE,July 30). The PM was expected to go much beyond complacency on small victories like the Pak dossier on 26/11 was the first-ever admission of terror emanating from its soil. Instead of relying on the wisdom of Ronald Reagans words trust but verify,as Manmohan Singh mentioned in Lok Sabha,he should have relied on Lal Bahadur Shastris home-truth If you want peace,go to war. Whatever the merits of the new strategy vis-à-vis Pakistan,India needs a tougher line.
Suryatmaj T.
Mumbai
Cracking Kashmir
•Omar Abdullah has the makings of a successful chief minister,but he has to seize the moment (Grow up,IE,July 30). Jammu and Kashmir is a difficult state to run. Besides underdevelopment,unemployment,corruption and disaffection,it is also Indias primary victim of Pak-sponsored terror. The CM of such a state needs to be a super-politician and an able administrator. Abdullah has the right ideas but hasnt devoted enough time to the state,thus helping his detractors run him down.
R.J. Khurana
Court good sense
•Two recent judgments have been uplifting and brilliant. The Sach Ka Saamna PIL verdict delivered a resounding blow to those who waste court time with their whims and fancies. Moral policing is not in the courts purview. As the judge pointed out,if one is offended by the blot on Indian culture,all he needs to do is switch off the TV. Meanwhile,the Supreme Court not only upheld defence lawyer R.K. Anands conviction in the BMW hit-and-run case,stripping him of senior advocate status,but also asked why his punishment should not be enhanced. When such strong verdicts are meted out in high-profile cases,citizens feel a sense of security. This is definitely a high point for the rule of law in India.
Roda D. Hakim
Baroda
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