Letters to the Editor

Ukraine crisis

Russia's President Vladimir Putin addresses the audience during a rally and a concert called "We are together" to support the annexation of Ukraine's Crimea to Russia in Red Square in central Moscow, March 18, 2014. Russian President Vladimir Putin, defying Ukrainian protests and Western sanctions, signed a treaty on Tuesday making Crimea part of Russia but said he did not plan to seize any other regions of Ukraine. REUTERS/Maxim Shemetov (RUSSIA - Tags: POLITICS)

VLADIMIR RADYUHIN has analysed the international affairs of the 21st century with a historical perspective and concluded crisply that “the unipolar world order is not viable ...and the rules of engagement have to be changed” (“Russian riposte”, Cover Story, April 18). Destiny beckons Russia to “rewrite post-Cold War realities”. Its first step in this direction is its intervention in Crimea. The West must drop its nefarious policy of “containment” of Russia. Russia too must be cautious not to overplay its new policy of defiance. It must be satisfied with its “strategic grip on the region and the ability to project its naval and air power to the Mediterranean and beyond”. It may be difficult for Russia to keep Ukraine in its fold. The United States and Europe must refrain from hitting below the belt and understand the sense of balance exhibited by countries of the BRICS grouping such as China and India.

Thomas Edmunds

Chennai

RUSSIA has successfully averted the threat to its borders by annexing Crimea. Vladimir Putin has shown that the days of the unipolar world are numbered.

The hidden agenda of the West was to destroy the Russian naval base in Crimea. Putin saw through the game and sought a referendum. He won as the people of Crimea chose to be a part of Russia. The U.S. sanctions on Russia will be counterproductive.

Deendayal M. Lulla

Mumbai

Khushwant Singh

KHUSHWANT SINGH’S death is a great loss to the literary and media fraternity (“Electric man in a bulb”, April 18). The void left by him will be difficult to fill. His column was read and enjoyed by all, irrespective of their age. He was one of the best authors of his time who knew the tastes of the masses. He was brutally honest, sometimes bordering on rudeness. Many people did not appreciate this honesty in matters like politics and sex. But Khushwant was unapologetic about it. He lived his life being true to himself and that reflected in his writing. He once famously claimed at a press conference that “any rubbish I write gets published”. But he took pride in his work. The best part about him was his humility.

Mahesh Kapasi

New Delhi

(FILES)In this photograph taken early in 2004, Indian author Khushwant Singh poses in New Delhi. One of India's best known writers and columnists, Khushwant Singh passed away at the age of 99 at his Delhi residence on March 20, 2014, his son Rahul Singh said. Khushwant is best remembered for his historical novel a Train to Pakistan, which recounted human tragedy of India's partition in 1947. Some of his other memorable works include a two volume history of sikhs and his widely popular newspaper column 'with malice towards one and all'. AFP PHOTO/STR/FILES

UNDER the editorship of Khushwant Singh, “The Illustrated Weekly of India” earned a reputation for its fierce campaign through articles and essays against maladministration and corruption when other magazines were stodgy. Known for his humour and abiding love of poetry, Khushwant had a sense of fun, which drew many aspiring journalists towards him. He led a full life, retaining his amazing wit and intellect until his last breath. His writing style, with a roguish tinge, will be long remembered.

K.R. Srinivasan

Secunderabad, Andhra Pradesh

I VENERATED two Indian journalists—R.K. Karanjia, the firebrand editor of “Blitz”, and Khushwant Singh, author and columnist. “Free Frank Fearless” was how Karanjia characterised his tabloid. The “lecherous” freethinker Khushwant gave a sleazy character and fame to “The Illustrated Weekly of India”. Is it not baffling that Morarji Desai, a prohibitionist and purist, and Khushwant, who enjoyed life to the hilt and perhaps believed that “a couple of whiskies a day keeps the doctor away”, died peacefully at the same ripe age of 99?

K.P. Rajan

Mumbai

KHUSHWANT lived a fruitful life spanning nine decades. In the epitaph he wrote for himself in “Death at My Doorstep”, he says : “Here lies one who spared neither man nor God / Waste not your tears on him, he was a sod / Writing nasty things he regarded as great fun / Thank the Lord he is dead, this son of a gun.”

Jayant Mukherjee

Kolkata

India-China war

THE essay “India-China War: The True Story” (April 18) reveals the persons and reasons behind India’s “Forward Policy”. It is also true that the Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah refused to share with Indian citizens the Henderson Brooks report on the war.

In 1962, the conditions of both the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force were better than those of China, but the essay does not look at India’s military failure.

Rakesh Kumar Rajbansi

Kolkata

Development myths

THIS is with reference to the Cover Story “Whose development is it anyway?” (April 4). Articles of this kind started appearing in the media once it became clear that a Narendra Modi wave was sweeping the country. Modi has been following his economic model in Gujarat since he came to power in 2001. Nobody felt the need to question him then. While the nation has rejected the Nehruvian and the Left’s models of development, it is a fact that Gujarat’s voters are happy with the Modi model.

Duggaraju Srinivasa Rao

Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh

THIS refers to your article “Marketing politicians” by Prabat Patnaik (April 4). Politics today needs big money and a bigger marketing effort. It needs the support of the media and the right campaign to market itself to its target audience. Modi is playing his cards effectively at this stage. Who knows what will happen?

S. Ganesh

Chennai