Letters to the editor

The BJP for the first time in a long while has agreed on the concept of ‘right to dissent’.

BJP’s soft core

• The BJP for the first time in a long while has agreed on the concept of ‘right to dissent’. Its defence of Taslima Nasreen has been strident. However, its stance is suspect, because it is so selective. It cannot fool the people of India. On the one hand, the BJP demands citizenship rights for Taslima Nasreen. On the other, it wants to keep all “Bangladeshi people staying in India” in a state of perpetual paranoia. That the ban on Parzania declared by Sangh Parivar groups had the tacit support of the Gujarat government and the party is known to everyone. In any case, how does Taslima’s case differ from that of the students of Baroda University Fine Arts? Meanwhile, the West Bengal government is playing into the hands of hardcore Muslim fundamentalist forces. It is important to consistently fight all types of fundamentalism, and for that it is important to learn from autonomous women’s groups.

— Rohit Prajapati

Vadodara

Cops after Cobra

• I fully support the Delhi High Court’s order to the Delhi Police not to spare the 11 MPs, their middlemen and secretaries, whose misdeeds have been exposed in the sting operation by Cobra Post. The police now have to file charge sheets within the next 60 days. It is strange that of the 11 MPs just one has been implicated by the Delhi Police as advised by the Rajya Sabha Ethics Committee. But then one wonders why this committee is authorised to recommend penalties or investigate acts of corruption by our elected representatives.

Story continues below this ad

Justice S.N. Dhingra of the Delhi High Court, who passed this order, rightly observed, “When the whole nation saw the acts of commission by our ‘honourable’ representatives on television in gross violation of the Prevention of Corruption Act, then isn’t it the duty of the police to initiate action in the case suo motu and ensure that the guilty are booked.” In fact, the investigations should have been completed a long time ago, with charge sheets filed and exemplary punishment sought.

We urge the Delhi Police chief not to brook any interference from any quarters in this matter and ensure that the guilty are booked and penalised, without fear or favour. This will help restore the common man’s faith in the police.

— G.R. Vora

Mumbai

History in Gujarat

• Saradindu Mukherji deserves congratulations from the silent Hindu majority in this ancient country for his call to view the Hindu-Muslim riots in the country in general and in Gujarat in particular in their historical perspective (‘But what about Gujarat’s history?’). Muslims in the country must recognise the unspeakable violence they have unleashed upon Gujarat for centuries. The silent Hindu majority does not want vengeance but will never accept that peace should be sought on the terms set by the pseudo-secular fringe and their Muslim friends.

— R. Venkatanarayanan

Noida

Empty debate

• The Lok Sabha debate on the Indo-US nuclear agreement was illuminating in only so far as it put forth before viewers the strengths and weaknesses of those of our elected representatives who rose to speak. Nothing new emerged from the verbal warfare, but thankfully it was conducted in an unusually dignified manner. The one point that was not made relates to the fact that, after this agreement comes into play, there will be a spurt in our own indigenous efforts as result of the deployment of our own expertise. The prospect of producing significant ‘made in India’ technology is itself a strong argument in favour of the deal.

— M.B. Kunte

New Delhi