The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : The Sindh issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 06, 2005

Opinion

Opinion - Letters to the Editor

The Sindh issue

Sir, — Petitions such as the one seeking the deletion of the word, Sindh, from the National Anthem serve no purpose. India has a historical connotation. Sindh refers to the Sindhi culture as clarified by the Centre. If Sindh is to be deleted, what about the word, Banga — does it not include present-day Bangladesh? It is better to give up the futile exercise.

M.A. Lassu,
Ladakh, J&K

* * *

Sir, — The National Anthem is a salutation to our motherland nestling between the Himalayas and the great ocean and the seas. The places mentioned in it are associated with our glorious heritage; they refer to the various regions and the people. Sindh is more than a geographical entity.

Jacob George,
Changanacherry, Kerala

* * *

Sir, — The National Anthem is not just another work of literature. It echoes the heartbeat of the nation. When Rabindranath Tagore wrote the verses, Sindh was part of India. A territorial segregation cannot justify any mutilation of the Anthem that we have been singing for more than half a century now. If the demand is conceded, the Tamil poet Bharati's song, Sindhu nadiyin misai nilavinile, epitomising national integration, may suffer the same fate.

M.S. Rajasekaran,
Chennai

* * *

Sir, — India derives its name from the river Indus (Sindhu) and numerous references to this river are found in the Rig Veda. The Indus Valley Civilisation is an inalienable part of modern India's heritage. The controversy, therefore, is unnecessary.

Subramanyam Sridharan,
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

* * *

Sir, — Sindh denotes the beginning of a civilisation in which all Indians take great pride. Even though the landmass through which the river flows is no longer a part of India, Sindh's inclusion in our national anthem is a testimony to the fact that we have not forgotten our roots.

Shivani Khanna,
New Delhi

* * *

Sir, — The hue and cry over the word, Sindhu, will only affect the thaw in the India-Pakistan ties. It will result in a never-ending debate, reflecting our parochialism and narrow-mindedness. The positive outcome and amelioration effected by constructive endeavours and vision of intellectuals on both sides will be negated by such puerile issues.

Safiuddin Khan,
Aligarh, U.P.

* * *

Sir, — When Pakistan is not worried about us using Sindh in our National Anthem, why is the petitioner so concerned?

Nandlal S. Bathija,
Chennai

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Opinion

News Update

Stories in this Section

TSUNAMI AND THE NET

IN A CLEFT STICK

Dangerous currents

For a long-term solution

Govindacharya plans awareness programme

Needed: humane options for orphaned children

The Sindh issue

Court's poser

Relief & rehabilitation

What Al Gore did

Women & freedom