Letters to the editor

Indo-Pak at Saarc • THIS refers to the news that India’s foreign minister reacted to Pakistan’s demand that first the Kashmi...

Indo-Pak at Saarc

• THIS refers to the news that India’s foreign minister reacted to Pakistan’s demand that first the Kashmir problem needs to be solved before issues like trade, joint anti-terrorism measures and so on are taken up in the Saarc meetings. The minister has said that Kashmir is a bilateral issue to be sorted out between India and Pakistan and not by Saarc. Anybody who thought the Kashmir problem could be solved by gimmicks such as confidence building measures is living in a world of make-believe (‘Pakistan signals key ice-breaker for thaw in Siachen’, IE, April 3). The Kashmir problem cannot be solved unless Kashmir is reunified. But, on the one hand, the Hindu majority in India is simply not interested in retrieving its lost territory in Muslim-majority PoK. On the other, India will never compromise on its territorial integrity, while Pakistan does not have the military power to snatch the rest of Kashmir from India. But despite this, the people of J&K must keep their spirits up, because it appears that India and Pakistan can no longer dawdle on the Kashmir issue.

— Hem Raj Jain New Delhi

Silent treatment

• EVEN though bilateral contentious issues may persist among some member countries, Saarc should look to the EU model of regional integration for cooperation. As in the EU, there are subjects which should receive priority consideration by Saarc — harnessing resources in the best possible manner, better management of surpluses and shortfalls at different times of the year and evolving a common approach to climate change problems, common electricity grid within Saarc countries similar to linking the region through rails and roads and telecom networks. Not much is heard about that in the outcome of various declarations coming out of Saarc meetings.

— C.R. Bhatatcharjee Kolkata

Sex appeal?

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• I STRONGLY support the government for having banned sex education in schools and congratulate the politicians and social organisations for saving our next generation from total destruction. Contraception and information about sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) can be taught at the graduation level. It is ridiculous to see that instead of advising school students to avoid free sex to prevent AIDS, they are being effectively equipped with condoms and contraceptive pills. The message seems to be that they are free to go in for sex whenever they so decide. This is nothing but a conspiracy to destroy the sacred institution of marriage, Indian culture and traditional values.

— K.M. Khalid, Mumbai

Letter of the Week Award

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to letters.editpage@expressindia.com or sent to The Indian Express, 9&10, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi -110002. Letter writers will have to give their postal address with every contribution.

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