Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Vicious indeed

The editorial “Vicious parochialism” (Feb. 6) on Raj Thackeray’s tirade against the North Indians in Mumbai is vox populi. The act of vandalising actor Amitabh Bachchan’s residence and instigation of violence against the poor migrants of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar were reprehensible. Mumbai’s cosmopolitan spirit cannot be allowed to be challenged by failing politicians.

Y. Jagannatham,

Vijayawada

* * *

The Mumbai violence shows the extent to which politicians can go to woo their vote banks. Mumbaikars are resilient and will not fall prey to such political gimmicks. The world is becoming smaller by the day and people are moving to different parts of the country and abroad. If Mumbai had been only for Maharashtrians, how would Bollywood have emerged?

Y. Suresh,

Hyderabad

* * *

That the architects of the mindless and well-orchestrated outrage and fury were able to carry out their acts against select soft targets with impunity was shocking. The ugly incidents are a blot on the cosmopolitan character of the Bollywood city. May good sense prevail and may the administration get tougher with the trouble-makers.

R. Sampath,

Chennai

* * *

So, Raj Thackeray feels Amitabh Bachchan is not loyal enough to Maharashtra. Can he cite an act of his that has led to the development of Maharashtra?

Chandni Dinakaran,

New Delhi

* * *

The editorial has rightly pointed to the challenge we face from parties resorting to retrograde campaigns with the intention of polarising the people on regional grounds. We should ban outfits that promote parochial tendencies and hatred.

M.A. Sastry,

Hyderabad

* * *

The Mumbai violence has proved that parochialism is deeply entrenched in society. If India ever disintegrates, it will be because of the enemy within and not because of any external forces.

Anilkumar Kurup,

Tirupur

* * *

Regional leaders should rise above animosity and prejudices and emerge as visionary leaders working for the larger interest of the nation.

Amandeep Samrao,

Patiala

* * *

It was traumatic to see violence being perpetrated against the north Indians living in Mumbai. Of course, it was the logical extension of the divide and rule formula by politicians who are after power. North Indians in Mumbai do not constitute just film stars, white-collared workers and big businessmen. They consist mainly of labourers and other small-time daily-wagers from eastern Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. They are a huge workforce, and their work output compared to their livelihood input is unparalleled. On them depends the economy of many States.

Due to lack of opportunities in their own States they migrate, and because of their unique adaptability and work potential weave into the main fabric of the States.

Debashis Banerji,

Allahabad

* * *

Long ago, inhabitants of a beautiful pond lived peacefully. They consisted of crocodiles, snakes, tortoises and lizards. In order to get more space for its group, the leader of the crocodiles ordered the snakes, tortoises and the lizards out of the pond saying they were poisonous, sluggish and changing colours.

The result: in the absence of snakes, the rats started eating away the eggs of crocodiles, stench began to fill the air as rot piled up and insects joined to make life miserable for the crocodiles. Realising the grave situation, the leader of the crocodiles sent an urgent message to the snakes, tortoises and lizards to return. The pond once again became a place of peaceful co-existence.

This is the summary of a story written by Zai Whitaker. Does the story have any relevance to the recent incidents in Mumbai?

A. Victor Frank,

Chennai

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