Opinion Think clearly
The Shiv Sena-led protests against the Jaitapur nuclear project defy understanding.
Think clearly
* The Shiv Sena-led protests against the Jaitapur nuclear project defy understanding (A death too many,IE,April 20). The project will benefit the local people. Also,it will help increase power supply. The fear of a tsunami is not valid either Japan is a high seismic zone where strong earthquakes and tsunamis are common. That is not the case with Jaitapur. Political parties should think pragmatically and not oppose the plant.
Nimish Gokhale,Pune
Critical mass
* The Central and state governments are going ahead with the Jaitapur project despite the locals opposition to it as nuclear power is required for development. Nuclear power is environment- friendly and good for our pockets. However,till people are not satisfied with the explanations provided,the government should put things on hold.
Bidyut K. Chatterjee,Faridabad
Safety,on the table
* The protest against the Jaitapur project started as a localised issue. But due to the state governments inaction in reaching out to the people,it got hijacked by the opposition. Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh failed to give his opinion on the project in time. But it is not too late for the Centre and state government to pacify the agitators by putting on the table the facts on the safety of the project.
C. Koshy John,Pune
Unveiling freedom
* It would be wrong to say that prohibiting the full-face veil in public is Nicolas Sarkozys reaction to the threat from Marine Le Pen (Both sides of the veil,IE,April 22). In fact,it was in 2003 that the Stasi Commission examined how the principle of laïcité (which itself dates back to the 19th century) should apply in practice. Its report noted that it is impossible to conclude the wearers of headscarves do so by choice,as many are too young to decide or are forced to wear it.
Most French people find this pressure intolerable and discriminating against women. That is why religious symbols like small crosses or yarmulkes are acceptable but not the face veil as it epitomises female alienation and subservience. When Kemal Atatürk outlawed the veil in Turkey in 1934,the country witnessed a soaring rate of literacy among women. Liberal Muslims celebrated Tunisias ban on the veil as a way to recognise womens right to study,work and vote.
Ajay Tyagi,Mumbai
Good beginning?
* Apropos I didnt get Bhushans in,went by advice: Anna (IE,April 22),Anna Hazare has made a good beginning in his fight against corruption. Evidently,there are elements trying to either delay or avoid the passage of the Jan Lokpal bill by diverting public attention towards non-issues. Hazare enjoys the support of the masses and therefore must get bolder to thwart these attempts. If he fails,the entire nation would feel let down.
Srinivasan Umashankar,Nagpur
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