Letters to the Editor

Communalism

MUZAFFARNAGAR,UP:: September 09, 2013:: Victims of Communal riot, Harunisha with her daughters being treated at the city hospital at Muzaffarnagar district in Uttar Pradesh, about 125 kms from Delhi on Monday, September 09, 2013. Communal riots between two communities errupted after a week of an incident which took place in the Jansath area of Muzaffarnagar, when a Muslim youth (Shah Nawaz). was caught harassing a Hindu girl. Her brother and his friend bashed up the alleged molester and shot him dead, but were themselves (Sachin & Gaurav) lynched by a mob. It has claimed 31 lives and injured 40. photo Rajeev Bhatt

INDIAN voters always remember their responsibility as citizens to uphold the values of a sovereign socialist democratic republic before going to the polling booth (Cover Story, November 29). In the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections also, they will use their voting right to wipe out communal forces. Narendra Modi’s continued pursuance of Hindutva politics and his statements in the context of the horrific killing of Muslims in Gujarat post the Godhra incident are a blot on the secular heart of India.

Not only Modi but also all other political parties and leaders who try to polarise Indian politics will have to face the people. The reality is that Muslims in India struggle to get even rented houses and access to various jobs and other means of livelihood. Hopefully, the next election will determine whether the spirit of secularism and pluralism is still alive in the hearts of Indian voters.

Rajeevan A.K

Deodhara, Madhya Pradesh

BOTH the Sangh Parivar and the Indian Mujahideen (IM) blatantly play the communal card and fan intolerance, and this trend has reached a flashpoint.

While Narendra Modi tries to grab power through fiery rhetoric that drives the masses into a communal frenzy, the IM tries to subvert the unity of the country by indulging in terror strikes in connivance with foreign terror outfits. The absence in politics of inspiring leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Maulana Azad makes matters worse.

N.C. Sreedharan

Kannur, Kerala

I BELIEVE all parties play the communal card because politics is all about vote banks. India gained Independence 66 years ago, and Jawaharlal Nehru laid the foundations of modern India by, among other things, setting up organisations such as the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the Indian Space Research Organisation. But the country has fallen woefully behind in improving rural lives, rural connectivity, sanitation, health, hygiene, education and family welfare. This has become a convenient hunting ground for political parties.

To start with, one must ensure that all Indian children compulsorily attend schools that are well funded by the government and where the teachers are chosen solely on the basis of their ability. Children should only be allowed to go to Veda pathshalas or madrasas or become jain sadhus or sadhvis after they have finished 12th Standard. The schools should admit children from all castes, communities and religions and be coeducational. If one fails to create cohesion among small children, then India can never hope to succeed.

G. Venkataraman

Mumbai

THE Cover article “Wahhabi impact” (November 29) has cautioned against the rise of Wahhabism and its impact, especially in south India. But can the law prevent it? We have to create awareness by educating people. The sooner that is done, the better for India.

Jacob Sahayam

Thiruvananthapuram

THE “love jehad” campaign that the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh and other Hindu organisations are conducting against Muslims cannot be taken lightly, but the issue it raises also cannot be dismissed as baseless (“Sensational grist”, November 29). There have been reports of girls being lured through what has been termed “grooming” in the U.K. This is not a local issue and needs to be investigated properly.

Vinayak Shetti

Margao, Goa

Elections

AFTER being drubbed by two Congress novices in the 2004 and 2009 parliamentary elections, the senior BJP leader Ram Naik recently announced that he would not be in the fray in 2014 (“The Nation”, “Joshi down”, November 15). Had the Shiv Sena leader Manohar Joshi, who is also over the hill, followed Naik’s example, perhaps he would not have faced humiliation at the hands of the Shiv Sena’s post-Bal Thackeray leadership. In fact, politicians over 75 years of age should gracefully retire from politics, leaving the arena for young contenders.

K.P. Rajan

Mumbai

Health care

Kolkata: People throng to have a look to the ill-fated building of Dhakuria-AMRI Hospital on Saturday as the license of the hospital being cancelled in the wake of major fire tragedy, which took 89 life in Kolkata on Friday. Photo: Arunangsu Roy Chowdhury December 09, 2011.

THE Supreme Court’s judgment awarding a sum of Rs.6 crore as compensation for medical negligence by AMRI Hospitals is most appropriate (“Course correction”, November 29). Quite often, doctors are negligent in discharging their duties, and this results in fatal consequences.

Government hospitals are not commercial but they are unable to cope with the heavy rush of patients. Health care and medical help must be available to all citizens free of cost, especially to senior citizens, and contributions towards this can come from a fund created by the Central government/State governments through a portion of income tax and other taxes. Private doctors and hospitals, too, must offer senior citizens at least 50 per cent concession .

An adequate number of quality hospitals and nursing homes must be opened in every corner of India. The younger generation must be encouraged to opt for the medical profession as there are not enough doctors for our overpopulated country.

Mahesh Kapasi

New Delhi

Cancer survivor

DESPITE having suffered from cancer, Hosi Daruwalla says he is thankful to God (“Spreading warmth”, November 29). His attitude deserves emulation. And the passion, compassion and stoicism with which he helps cancer patients is quite admirable.

B.B.C. Chandrasekar

Madurai, Tamil Nadu

Mars mission

This Aug. 26, 2003 image made available by NASA shows Mars photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope on the planet's closest approach to Earth in 60,000 years. NASA’s robotic rover Curiosity landed safely on Mars late Sunday, Aug. 5, 2012 to begin two years of exploration. The mission cost $2.5 billion. (AP Photo/NASA)

THE successful launch of Mangalyaan, India’s first probe to Mars is yet another record in the annals of the history of the nation and a proud moment for every Indian (Cover Story, November 15). It is noteworthy that the PSLV-C25 launch vehicle was used for its reliability instead of the GSLV rocket. The path-breaking interplanetary mission catapults India into the elite club that has as its members the U.S, the erstwhile USSR and the European Space Agency.

There is no denying that the Mangalyaan launch is an outstanding achievement that exemplifies the creative blend of Indian scientific and engineering ingenuity. The spacecraft should have a successful e journey so that India becomes the first Asian nation to make it to the red planet.

K.R. Srinivasan

Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh

Mishmi Hills

THE feature about Mishmi Hills was inspiring (“Takin country”, November 15). The picture of the Lohit river was particularly fabulous. It is a matter of pride that the country is rich with such a wide range of flora and fauna. It is time that we took more measures to preserve them and enact strict laws against exploitation of such resources. Such articles and issues must be given more space so that we do not lose what is remaining of our natural wealth.

Neethu. S

Nagercoil, Tamil Nadu