Your story ‘Bihar: ‘mad girl’ left to die on road’ (IE, November 3) was horrifying. I could not eat after reading it. How could they treat her like this? But the real guilty men are the onlookers and the law enforcers who did not intervene and provide her with care. They should be punished. Our president has often professed his love and concern for children. The nation will soon celebrate Children’s Day. Can we tell this story to our children? Shame on us. — P.G. Parlikar, On e-mail Dead end? In ‘No Quick Get Away From Iraq’, (IE, November 4) Fareed Zakaria has described the quagmire the US is floundering in in Iraq. If it were now to pull out of Iraq, it would contradict one of the main stated reasons for the war on Iraq: that it was part of the global war against terror. Now if the field is thrown open to guerrillas, who not only comprise Baath Party supporters but also terrorists linked to the Al Qaeda, it will not take time for the country to fall into the hands of the fundamentalists. Terrorism will get a shot in the arm in other parts of the world as well .— Mohamad Junaid, Aligarh All in the family Apropos of reports of family ties dictating the Congress candidates’ lists for the impending assembly polls, the Gandhi-Nehru parivar runs the party like a private limited company. It has exploited the illiteracy of the Indian people and pitted one community against the other to fashion its own fief. No wonder, today the regional satraps of the party are demanding their pound of flesh. As the saying goes, ‘Yatha raja, tatha praja’. — Veera Raju Pudi, On e-mail Better late This refers to ‘Spoilers in the peace process’ (IE, November 4). In court your columnist Kuldip Nayar speaks in favour of S.A.R. Geelani and repents at leisure. God knows when he’ll realise that his candle light vigils on new year’s eve are also an exercise in futility. — Aseem Swarup Johri, On e-mail Rushing to judge I am deeply saddened by your reportage of the recent Gujarat firing incident that killed 3 and injured 37. The facts of the incident are yet to be established. In the interim, it behoves all parties, particularly the media from desisting from publishing reports such as Rupam Jain’s ‘Only Muslims died, sent to hospital, cops say it’s coincidence’ (IE, November 4). The Hindus may well be guilty, Gujarat police may have yet again lived up to its horrible reputation. Yet for the media to demonise one community before the facts are established is unfair and uncalled for. — G. Venkatachalam, On e-mail Same to them This refers to ‘CBMs become Cross-Border Mudslinging’ (IE, October 31). Pakistan is not going to deviate from its path as it knows its strategy is bleeding the Indian forces daily. The best way to deal with them is for India to sponsor similar activities beyond the border and let Musharraf have a taste of his own medicine. — Raju, On e-mail
