Attack on Parliament

The "joint venture" of the Pakistan-based terrorist organisations Lashkar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad has to be condemned in the strongest terms ("Terror in Parliament House", January 4). However, as you have observed in the editorial, India must, at this critical moment in its history, adopt a policy marked by "firmness" and a "clear-headed commitment to pursuing evidence-led lawful measures".

The reality of both countries possessing nuclear weapons stares us in the face. Worse, Pakistan has repeatedly rejected India's proposal to reach an agreement on 'no first use' of nuclear weapons. As a much smaller country with comparatively meagre economic and other resources, Pakistan could ill-afford to invest in a "conventional" war against India. That is why it chose the nuclear option which, in its view, is cost-effective. In the event of India launching a conventional strike, Pakistan may not hesitate to exercise the nuclear option.

Some sections in India argue that it is time India called the nuclear bluff of Pakistan. What if it is not a bluff? The need of the hour is a massive diplomatic offensive.

Kangayam R. Rangaswamy Received on e-mail* * *

The terrorists' unsuccessful attempt to storm Parliament House has only strengthened India's resolve to face the challenge bravely and strike back at them with greater force. But for the prompt response of the security personnel at the Parliament complex, the country would have seen a repeat of September 11.

Investigations point to the involvement of two Pakistan-based terrorist groups and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). President Pervez Musharraf must realise that though he may try to change the course of history, he cannot change the geography of the region, and that Pakistan has to coexist with India as a good neighbour.

India has always wanted to maintain friendly relations with Pakistan. Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee's bus journey to Lahore in February 1999 and the Agra Summit were efforts in this direction. Unfortunately, Pakistan failed to seize these opportunities.

Instead of asking India to exercise restraint, U.S. President George W. Bush should decide whether his country is with India or with Pakistan, which not only harbours terrorists but also sends them across the border to incite violence.

S. Balakrishnan Jamshedpur* * *

The attack on Parliament was an act of provocation. Although clashes between armed militants and security forces have now become frequent in India, the suicide attack by a foreign group was notable for its audacity. Prime Minister Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani, the seniormost leaders responsible for the security of the country, have lost their credibility. Leaders who spoke frequently in the past of 'hot pursuit' of militants across the Line of Control could not act when the time to take crucial decisions arrived.

Ghulam Muhammed Received on e-mail* * *

India should be eternally grateful to the security personnel who laid down their lives to protect Parliament House and the political leaders.

The lawmakers' attitude that they are above law frustrates any attempt to enforce security measures. The cars of Members of Parliament rarely stop for security checks. They and their hangers-on are rarely frisked. Many MPs manage to get six to eight car passes though they are eligible for only one.

It is unfortunate that India and Pakistan consider each other as an enemy. Millions of people of these countries live in poverty. It is reported that every Indian carries a foreign debt burden of $103 and every Pakistani $350. Promoting bilateral trade could be a better way to foster the spirit of friendship. Unfortunately, Pakistan imports from India only 1.4 per cent of its requirements, while India imports just 0.2 per cent from Pakistan.

The powers that be in India and Pakistan should remember the message of love conveyed by the legendary Urdu poet Ahmed Faraz when he wrote that "nobody can save us, but us".

N. Narasimhan Bangalore* * *

In a way Indians too play a role in encouraging terrorist attacks. Not a day passes without reports of politicians' involvement in scandals. The criminal records, and the irresponsible behaviour in Parliament, of many politicians only serve to project an image of India as a weak country. Any outsider would conclude that a few jolts can disintegrate the country.

Pravir Shrivastava JagdalpurCoffin 'scam'

This has reference to the story on the "coffin scandal" ("Nailed again", January 4). The price of raw aluminium and the retail prices of ready-to-use metal coffins are available on the Internet. The price of pure aluminium was $1,389 a tonne in 1999, that is, $1.37 a kg. For an aluminium casket weighing 18 kg the raw material cost (assuming that pure aluminium is used) would work out to $24.6 each.

The actual price paid by the government for the aluminium casket was $2,500 each, which is about 102 times the raw material price. If the purchase officer concerned had been diligent he could have procured ready-to-use stainless steel caskets with velvet interiors at a price of $1,575 in the retail market in the United States.

What went wrong? Who got it wrong? And why? Or do we have to push such questions under the carpet in the context of the tension on the India-Pakistan border?

Uma Suresh ChennaiHistory textbooks

Sikhs and Sikhism have suffered enough at the hands of historians. The latest example is the presentation of Sikhs in the history textbooks published by the National Council for Educational Research and Training. Your magazine has published various articles on the controversy over the NCERT textbooks, the latest one being "To excise history" (December 21).

The writer does not seem to be aware of the relevant facts published in the impugned para of the book Medieval India, written by Professor Satish Chandra.

It is wrong on the part of the writer to say that the mandate of those who filed the writ petition to speak on behalf of the "community" is "uncertain". In reality, major Sikh institutions such as the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, the World Sikh Council and the Khalsa Diwan and many prominent Sikh personalities have filed affidavits against the impugned para of Satish Chandra's book.

Secondly, the NCERT lost a case relating to Professor Bipan Chandra's Modern India, a prescribed textbook for Class XII, in the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1996. A Division Bench of the court gave directions that are similar to the ones issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education. Later, the objectionable remarks were ordered to be deleted.

The case of the Sikhs is based on authentic historical evidence and by no stretch of imagination can it be said, as has been done by Professor Satish Chandra, that the conflict between the Sikh gurus and the Mughal emperors was "'personal and political rather than religious".

The NCERT textbooks has done enough damage to the image of Sikh gurus and violated the fundamental rights of Sikhs as enshrined in the Constitution. It is after a long time that the Government of India has realised that the remarks regarding Sikh gurus are objectionable and hurt the feeling of Sikhs. Now, the state is duty-bound to repair the damage done to the personalities of Sikh gurus and Sikhs. The law of the land commands the same.

M.S. Rahi ChandigarhDeath in the incubator

It was distressing to read about the death of so many tender lives, apparently owing to the negligence and callous attitude of the medical staff at the King George Hospital in Lucknow ("Death in the incubator", December 7).

The attitude of the authorities is even more despicable. I am a pediatrician of Indian origin who is in training in the United Kingdom. I have always felt that children in a developing country like ours are "under-privileged" in comparison to children in the developed world. This is because of innumerable factors, such as population overload, lack of infrastructure, lack of medicines and equipment, and lack of skilled staff, nursing and medical. The vast majority of today's doctors in India cannot be said to have the right attitude and sincerity.

I sincerely hope that the Lucknow case is pursued and investigated to deliver justice to the devastated families.

Dr. S. Arun Received on e-mailChomsky in India

This has reference to "The importance of Chomsky's ideas" (December 21).

Prof. Chomsky's work is remarkable for its intellectual sharpness and the powerful use of language. If there is a modern intellectual who reminds one of the seers of yore who pursued the truth with unflagging zeal and passion, it is Prof. Chomsky. He is easily one of the tallest intellectuals in history.

Awards and degrees have come to him in heaps. But none of them sufficiently reflects his greatness. It would be fitting to confer on him the title "Abhinava Panini" for his work in linguistics. It was the honour given to scholars in Nava Dvipa, a region in Bengal, once famous for its high standards of learning in all branches of ancient knowledge, topped by poetry and grammar. It was a great honour to be approved of by the annual assembly of scholars at Nava Dvipa. This is recounted in rich detail in Vasishta Vaibhavam, a biography of Ganapati Muni, the scholar and poet who "discovered" Ramana Maharshi in the course of his spiritual quest. The Muni undertook a strenuous journey from Andhra to Nava Dvipa to prove his prowess as a scholar and poet, and came out with flying colours. The recognition at Nava Dvipa brought him great respect across India.

Prof. Chomsky is unique in that he gives primacy to innate ideas over field work and heavy documentation that characterises modern-day research. India has a rich and vibrant tradition in learning, in which poetry and grammar are held in the highest esteem. The chief characteristic of this tradition is the primacy given to ideas and imagination over facts and necessity. This is what endears Indians to Prof. Chomsky, and vice versa.

It was recognised very early in India that language is valuable as the sole means of representation of knowledge, besides being a means of communication. For this reason, language has received a great deal of attention in philosophical discourses in India. This preoccupation with the form and structure of language has produced some valuable insights into the nature of knowledge itself. Language can represent by suggestion and allegory what defies direct expression - the reality that underlies facts. India, therefore, is the country most competent to honour Prof. Chomsky for his contribution to the study of the process of language. And there could hardly be a better title than Abhinava Panini, or a better place than Nava Dvipa to honour him. It would be appropriate if the Vishva Bharati university took the lead in this direction.

S.L.N. Sharma Hassan, Karnataka* * *

Your reporting on Prof. Noam Chomsky, distinguished visitor from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, was incisive and detailed. However, I do feel you have conspicuously not mentioned his distinguished achievements in the field of linguistics along with the late Prof. Kenneth Hale of MIT. Your entire reporting was slanted towards his left-leaning views.

Prof. Chomsky has the following to say on language: "Language is really weird. Although speaking a language is for normal humans an effortless task, there is nothing else in the natural world that even approaches its complexity... Although children receive no instruction in learning their native language, they are able to fully master it in less than five years. This is all the more confusing as language is much more computationally complex than, say, simple arithmetic, which takes years to master."

Prof. Chomsky and Prof. Hale have done pioneering work in the area of linguistics. Prof. Hale recently passed away, at the age of 67. Prof. Chomsky was so right in his observation about him: "Ken was a voice for the voiceless." Prof. Chomsky is doing his best to ensure that the remote languages of poor nations and tribes do not die.

V. Natarajan Lucknow* * *

Frontline has done yeoman service to its readers by highlighting the lectures of Noam Chomsky in India. Prof. Chomsky is a widely acclaimed intellectual and a great humanitarian of our times. He comes across as one who does not hesitate to call a spade a spade. India needs scholars like him.

Abhijeet D. More Nashik, Maharashtra