The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : The Sethu row

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Saturday, Sep 22, 2007
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The Sethu row

This refers to the editorial “Sense & sensibility on channel” (Sept. 21). It looks like the Ramar Sethu controversy will not die down easily. It is a pity that a project which is deemed to be of immense benefit to India has been put on hold to suit the whims of politicians. What we need is a strong government that can take hard decisions to implement the Sethusamudram project. The BJP and the rest of the sangh parivar should appreciate that others too have a right to express their opinions on Rama and the Ramar Sethu.

B. Krishnan,

Ghaziabad

Are not the premeditated attack on the house of Selvi, daughter of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, and the torching of a Tamil Nadu transport bus killing two innocent passengers acts of terror? All Mr. Karunanidhi did was to express some views on Puranic beliefs and characters. The sangh parivar has every right to defend its beliefs. But violence is no way to do it.

K. Lakshmanan,

Srirangam

The merits of the Sethusamudram project and its economic and ecological implications should indeed be debated. The BJP and its sangh parivar cohorts were not in the picture when the fisherfolk and ecologists fiercely challenged the project in the Environmental Impact Assessment hearings in Tamil Nadu. They are now communalising the whole issue and vitiating the atmosphere just to polarise society. The progressive forces should not fall into their trap. They should use the opportunity to discuss the merits of the project and, at the same time, expose the BJP which is for the project with a different alignment.

N. Ramesh,

Thanjavur

Now that Mr. Karunanidhi has said that he is not concerned about any particular alignment for the Sethusamudram channel as long as the project is implemented, the issue should be put to rest. The objections raised by environmentalists and the doubts expressed about the cost effectiveness of the project should also be given full consideration. Politicians should refrain from making off-the-cuff remarks and creating ill-will among the members of a community.

C.N. Parthasarathy,

Hyderabad

The UPA government has unconditionally withdrawn the offending affidavit on the Ramar Sethu. Mr. Karunanidhi has proved his commitment to secularism and atheism. L.K. Advani and his BJP have drawn sufficient political mileage from the controversy. All parties should now bury the hatchet. The media should stop getting increasingly worked up on the issue. All concerned must realise that in such potentially explosive situations, discretion is the better part of valour.

Col. C.V. Venugopalan (retd.),

Palakkad

Mr. Karunanidhi has every right to be an atheist. But playing with the sentiments of a section of society does not augur well for the social fabric of our nation and the peaceful co-existence of our people.

Vasa Srinivasa Murthy,

Visakhapatnam

The gods we worship are our own creations. Religions are manmade. One need not subscribe to any religion, if one is guided by one’s conscience and commonsense. Without man, there is no god. Religion, it may be argued, is meant to satisfy our spiritual needs. But many who claim to be religious are quite materialistic in their thinking. It is not proper to block the economic prosperity of the nation in the name of religion.

S. Anbumani Selvam,

Puducherry

One can understand Mr. Karunanidhi’s anxiety to push forward the Sethusamudram project. But was it necessary for him to raise the pitch and question the very existence of Rama, knowing full well that he would hurt the sentiments of a vast majority?

C.S. Sukhavanam,

Coimbatore

Faith should be experimented and subjected to subtle evidence. It is commonly known that many mythological stories are not true. It is time we woke up to the reality and ascertained the truth instead of encouraging the younger generation to follow something in blind faith.

P. Polepaka,

Hyderabad

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