A secular education

Syed Shahabuddin wants Muslims to form a political party of their own in his articles in your paper (IE, August 29, 30). But Muslims in Indi...

Syed Shahabuddin wants Muslims to form a political party of their own in his articles in your paper (IE, August 29, 30). But Muslims in India are a heterogenous community. A Kashmiri Muslim is so very different from a Tamil Muslim.

What the Muslims of India now need is a secular education. People like Azim Premji and President Kalam should be their role models.
— Malolan Cadambi, On e-mail

Copycat!

Apropos of ‘Modi’s vibrant Gujarat misses many a beat’ (IE, August 29), I am sick of reading your biased reportage on Narendra Modi. Is it some kind of fashion to report negatively when it comes to Modi? If so, you are merely demonstrating unthinking copycat behaviour.
— Venkat Vardineni, On e-mail

Change the system

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This refers to your editorial ‘UP is down is up’ (IE, August 30). UP developments are so disgusting that nothing more is required to show that we have failed to run a parliamentary form of government with any degree of success. Our politicians have prostituted every democratic process and institution including the institution of the Governor, undermined the principles of running coalitions, the dignity of legislative and judicial process. It is high time the thinking elite of the nation should discuss the desirability of replacing the present system with a presidential form of government.
— T.U. Mehta, On e-mail

Sanyas for Maya

This refers to the report ‘Maya’s swearing ceremony is UP’s star attraction’ (IE, August 29). Maya must now take sanyas after her inept, peevish, unsophisticated handling of two opportunities to govern the most crucial state of India.
— Yashwant Rai, On e-mail

Rajiv Bhavans

It is good news that there was a consensus at the inter-state council meeting on amending Article 356 of the Constitution to prevent its misuse by the Centre. Many years ago, the Justice Sarkaria Commission was set up to deal with Centre-state relations and to recommend ways and means for developing cordial mutual relations so that the Centre does not unnecessarily interfere in the functioning of a popular government in the states. But all its recommendations were not implemented.

It is a matter of great satisfaction that Article 356 would be used as a means of last resort and not as the first preference. If safeguards provided in the Supreme Court’s 1994 judgement are also incorporated, it would lead to the emergence of cooperative federalism.

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Much depends on the governor’s role. During Rajiv Gandhi’s time, governors had got a bad name and it was often said that Raj Bhavans have become Rajiv Bhavans. This should not happen now.
— K.L. Batra, On e-mail

Words go on

This refers to Pamela Philipose’s ‘Dream on, for the future’ (IE, August 27). Why did these words live on? I am grateful to Philipose for enlightening us on this and educating us about the significance of Martin Luther King’s ‘I have a Dream’ oration — specially in the Indian context.
— Onkar Chopra, New Delhi