Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Statue diplomacy

While the installation of the statues of Thiruvalluvar in Bangalore and Sarvajna in Chennai is welcome (editorial “Learning from two poet-savants,” Aug. 14), it is only a symbolic gesture. There is need for more meaningful and purposeful exchanges between the political and literary fraternity of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Few would really be inspired by looking at the statues.

On the other hand, setting up centres for exchange of knowledge and spreading the works of saint philosophers would be more beneficial to people.

Felix Rozario,

Coimbatore

The rapport between the Chief Ministers of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka on solving issues through talks is welcome.

A broad understanding and a give-and-take policy between both States is a must for solving the Cauvery water dispute.

K. Ramakrishnan,

Chennai

The unveiling of the statues will surely script a new chapter in the dispute-ridden relations between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The good spirit and the camaraderie witnessed at both functions should go a long way in curbing the parochial and fissiparous tendencies, and linguistic chauvinism witnessed in the recent past.

H.N.S. Mani,

Mysore

K. Ravindranathan,

Palakkad

Now that one outstanding issue between the two States has been brought to a happy conclusion, it is time the leaders settled other long-pending issues.

Kavin Muthusamy,

Erode

One wonders how the installation of statues in Bangalore and Chennai could transform the future. Despite the Supreme Court order on sharing the Cauvery waters, the issue has not been resolved between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

It is a pity that the Centre, which has settled water disputes with Pakistan and Bangladesh, has not shown any interest in settling an inter-State dispute. People prefer water to statues.

A. Amudhavanan,

Alangulam

The Kannada poet’s name is pronounced and written as Sarvagna (with stress on ‘gna’) in Kannada while it is being strangely spelled as Sarvajna in English.

K.S. Jayatheertha,

Bangalore

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