• In the mid-fifties, when I was a first year college student in Jalandhar, I remember an Indo-Pak cricket test series was organised to better relations between the two nations. For the Lahore Test, they opened the border. India made a simple ID available to anyone who asked for it. I was in Lahore for five days (without the knowledge of my parents). I cannot forget the warmth that was exhibited by both sides. Fifty years later I tell stories of that visit to my kids. I am sure the same feelings still exist. God (Allah, Ishwar, Bhagwan) willing, the rulers will see the light and adjust to the new realities that are threatening our existence. Great coverage. Keep it up. — Brahm P. Kataria On e-mail Slippery Sharad • Indian politics has always brought the strangest of bedmates together. Sharad Pawar (‘Man in the muddle’, IE, January 2) has always carried the reputation of never being the reliablest of partners. He was in the forefront of the Congress, but when he saw no chance of becoming the PM, he found a thousand excuses to quit, including the Sonia-is-a-foreigner stance. — Ramesh Lahoti On e-mail LOC backlash • This is with regard to the criticism that the movie, LOC Kargil has faced (‘The way we war’, IE, January 3). Bollywood movies are usually mindless romances or gangster glorifying flicks. The effort and intent to make a film like LOC is itself commendable. Admittedly a few scenes are over the top and at least one song was unnecessary but overall the movie was pretty good. The criticism is not proportional to the deficiencies in the film. This film is not about entertainment, it is about people who gave up their lives for their country. It would have been easier for the director and his team to make a formula movie in Manhattan or London and rake in the moolah. Instead they shot in extremely difficult conditions a story of a war which was unique in modern history. I hope J.P. Dutta reads this letter. — Deepak T. Nair On e-mail Bad times • Apropos of the editorial,‘Gandhi quotemartial’ (December 25) and V. Rajesh’s letter, ‘Bapu’s burden’ (IE, December 29 ), our leaders are trying to prove that though they are having Ram, Allah, Waheguru on their lips yet they continue to spit venom and spread the fires of their religiously induced terrorism so that the country goes down the tube. — H.N. Chaudhary Panchkula Watch out, MDMK • In the coming elections, MDMK should be very careful about striking a deal with DMK, for the simple reason that in the last assembly elections the MDMK did not get a fair share of seats in the DMK-led alliance. It is also a fact that together these two parties polled more than AIADMK in about 20 constituencies, but could not win against AIADMK, because of the split in the votes. One hopes Vaiko gives serious thoughts to these facts. Also, it is apparent that DMK needs the support of MDMK, as there is no charismatic leader in the DMK after Karunanidhi. — M.V. Rajan On e-mail Give VVS his due • It's totally unfair to throw the limelight again on Tendulkar and take it away from Laxman (‘Sachaninnigs”, IE, December 4). Those who have seen the match; those who are not in the Tendulkar bhajana club but do understand the game, and stars like Waugh and Gilchrist know who was the best. For heaven’s sake, give Laxman his due. — S. Majumder On e-mail
