Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Rath yatras

The proposed rath yatras of BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Rajnath Singh have come in for severe criticism. In a democratic country, does the Leader of the Opposition not have a right to take his ideas to the people when he chooses? It is a welcome break from our persistent complaint that politicians visit us only during the elections.

Shalivahan Sharangpani,
Boston, Massachusetts

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From its behaviour and utterances, it appears the BJP was waiting for something like the blasts to happen. What else are we supposed to make of the rath yatras, based on the pretext of combating minorityism?

Gaurav Sobti,
Ambala, Haryana

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So what if hundreds of innocent people were killed in the Gujarat riots? So what if even more were killed during the riots in Bombay? Who are we to question the BJP in a land where only the warlords of Hindutva have the right to demolish and destroy?

D. Nishanth,
Hyderabad

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There is no use discussing gimmicks of politicians who hardly let go of an opportunity to fish in troubled waters. The intelligentsia should, instead, do everything to highlight the need to put down religious fanaticism of all hues. They should help recover the spirit of Nehruvian secularism.

I.S. Kanthimathinathan,
Tirunelveli, T.N.

* * *

Some of the recent decisions taken by the UPA Government such as the creation of a Ministry for Minority Affairs and appointment of a Commission, whose terms of reference included a headcount of Muslims in the armed forces, and lack of action against a Muslim Minister for announcing a reward to anyone beheading the Danish cartoonist who drew the cartoons of Prophet Muhammed reflect appeasement of Muslims. Do they not amount to vote bank politics and minorityism?

K.V. Satyajayanth,
Vijayawada, A.P.

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Every bomb blast results in a shadow of suspicion being cast over the minority community. This is because most bomb blasts in recent times have been perpetrated by jihadis. Muslims can change this image by rising throughout the country and protesting in large numbers against terrorists.

S. Maghasri,
Sriharikota, A.P.

* * *

A few sections of the Muslim clergy have a distorted vision of Islam. I implore my non-Muslim brothers not to target Islam for the behaviour of these so-called Muslims.

Sherbaz Bichu,
Kozhikode, Kerala

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