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PM and Advani

This refers to the report that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called up BJP leader L.K. Advani to convey his displeasure over the party’s support to sadhvi Pragnya Singh Thakur, arrested in connection with the Malegaon blast. Mr. Advani’s response that he only reacted to the sadhvi’s affidavit alleging torture by the police is untenable. Many of our politicians and those accused in high-profile cases complain of chest pain and other ailments after their arrest to avoid being jailed. It has become a routine for them to allege harassment and torture by the investigating agencies.

The BJP leaders, including its president Rajnath Singh, openly supported the sadhvi even before she filed her affidavit.

B. Harish,

Mangalore

By seeking to explain the facts of the case to Mr. Advani, Dr. Singh has set up a healthy practice. By not converting a political dispute into an acrimonious debate, he has shown a new way of dealing with the Opposition’s charges.

C.N. Parthasarathy,

Hyderabad

That the leader of the Opposition needs a briefing by the National Security Adviser on the facts of a case in which a member of his own sangh parivar is a key accused is ironical. It is obvious that the BJP is trying to gain political mileage by provoking the majority community. Communalism is not the same as religious devotion. It is politicisation of religion and conversion of religious sentiments into a marketable commodity.

B. Pappeetha Ilaiyakarnan,

Coimbatore

On reading sadhvi Pragnya’s affidavit, Mr. Advani felt compelled to defend her in strong terms. But why has he not said a word about the torture of alleged terrorists, since proved innocent, in the Mecca Masjid blasts case?

S. Nityananda,

Bangalore

We forget about the torture innocent people undergo just because they are Muslim. The Hyderabad episode has proved the point. How can we ensure the safety of innocent Indian citizens, irrespective of their religion?

T. Shamil Haja,

Guwahati Congress spokesman Abhishek Singhvi’s remark that it is strange to see a Prime Minister aspirant standing up to support a terror accused is amusing. When he had no problem with Dr. Singh openly lamenting that he spent sleepless nights on seeing the family of a terror suspect in a distant land pleading on TV, why does he find Mr. Advani’s show of sympathy to a terror suspect strange?

Malar Mannan,

Chennai

The UPA government seems to have seized the opportunity offered by the Malegaon blast to sully the image of the BJP. On sadhvi Pragnya’s arrest, Mr. Advani should have said the law would take its course or remained tight-lipped.

By trying to give her a pristine image, he paved the way for criticism. He and his men should at least now realise that there is no link between religion and terrorism.

S. Lakshmi Narayanan,

Vriddhachalam

What kind of message is the man who hopes to become the Prime Minister of the largest democracy giving to the nation by supporting terror suspects? The saffron forces’ act of blatantly supporting the alleged terrorists and questioning the credibility of the ATS is a matter of serious concern.

Sabir Ali Chauhan,

Aligarh

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