The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Acrimonious

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Monday, Dec 17, 2007
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Opinion - Letters to the Editor

Acrimonious

The campaigning for the Gujarat Assembly elections has been marked by acrimony. Leaders belonging to both the BJP and the Congress seem to have given political decency the go-by in their bid to woo voters. While Sonia Gandhi described the rulers of Gujarat as “merchants of death,” Narendra Modi made a reference to Sohrabuddin Sheikh, implicitly justifying his killing in a fake police encounter. Then came Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s remark that the BJP announced L.K. Advani as its prime ministerial candidate because it feared Mr. Modi. Mr. Advani retorted saying the Congress cannot compete with Mr. Modi. The Congress even compared Mr. Modi to demon Raktabeejasura. Such campaigning is not expected from seasoned politicians. Election campaigns like these will benefit none.

Bijan Kumar Mahapatra,

Hyderabad I agree with Ms Gandhi’s statement that those ruling Gujarat are merchants of death. She should not buckle under the pressure being exerted by Mr. Modi in the name of terrorism. He presided over the 2002 riots spearheaded by the sangh parivar.

O.K., Sohrabuddin “maintained connections with Pakistan,” and “the police of four States were looking for him” (Dec. 13). Was his wife Kauser Bi also a terrorist? Why was she killed?

Md. Tanweer Alam,

New Delhi

* * *

Elections generate heat in all democratic set-ups, and the same is true with respect to Gujarat too. Politics is so broad based it cannot exclude this or that issue. The diversity and size of the electorate necessitate a reference to issues of all hues. Before an election, the electorate has a right to be apprised of every aspect of the ideologies of those contesting it. It also has the right to know the personal details of the candidates, including instances that reflect their poor judgment in the course of their career. A knowledgeable electorate is capable of setting the tenor and agenda for an election and delivering the right verdict.

R. Narayanan,

Ghaziabad

* * *

The Congress has hoped that the court will deal with Mr. Modi “suitably” (Dec. 13). If, as the party claims, Mr. Modi is a man who rules in a dictatorial manner and does not respect law and any constitutional authority, what prevented the UPA government from dismissing his government? Does not the remark that Mr. Modi came to power on the bodies of Godhra violate the model code of conduct?

G. Ramalingam,

Tiruchi

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