The Hindu : Opinion / Letters to the Editor : Statesmanship

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Thursday, Jan 01, 2009
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Statesmanship

The article, “Statesmanship, the need of the hour” (December 31) is timely. Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has already retracted from his statements on the nationality of the lone survivor, among the terrorists, of the Mumbai attack. Islamabad has heeded neither India’s request to desist from supporting terror activities nor the world leaders’ call to dismantle the terror camps functioning on Pakistani soil. We should be doubly vigilant.

N.R. Ramachandran,

Udhagamandalam

True, as Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer fervently felt, statesmanship is the need of the hour in our relations with Pakistan in the aftermath of the attack in Mumbai. But what is it that we have done to prevent similar attacks? It is fair to preach against surrendering to military mania but is not our patience tested up to the hilt? After all, India never wanted a war with its neighbours but it only wants to fight terrorism, which is the universal enemy in the comity of nations.

Seshagiri Row Karry,

Hyderabad

Justice Krishna Iyer’s eloquent exhortations for restraint will work only in a civilised world. He reminds us that Asoka to Gandhi are our lodestar! The Buddhist pacification that spread in India after Asoka witnessed the series of foreign invasions. Finally, India suffered the Mughal and British colonial rule for almost a millennium! Should we repeat that experience again?

R. Gopimony,

Thiruvananthapuram

By repatriating 66 Pakistani prisoners to their homeland (December 31) in the midst of a war threat, Dr. Manmohan Singh’s government has proved to the world that India is a peace loving country. Indeed, it is the best and timely gift to them. It is high time that the Pakistani rulers understood this gesture.

E. Rajakumar Arulanandham,

Palayamkottai

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