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The articles “Where did we go wrong?” and “Learning to kill for fun” (December 23) were timely and thought provoking. When the Virginia Tech tragedy occurred, many of us were sure that such incidents would not occur in India. But we were wrong. It is difficult to restrict the use of guns only to law enforcers and to censor video games before allowing them to be sold in India. Also the increased popularity of shooting as a major sport in India has led to an increase in the sale of guns. Therefore the government should ban shooting as a sport.

The incidents of violence among children are increasing sometimes with fatal consequences. This is a direct result of changing values of society and the excess violence being portrayed on TV. Further, the older generation is also responsible as they want instant success and do not hesitate to resort to violence. From childhood, a child is exposed to violence and so he grows up to believe that there is nothing wrong in violence.

Anjali Gopalan has rightly pointed out that it is the new generation of well-to-do parents who have no time to see how their children are growing up that is responsible for socially deviant behaviour. This shocking incident should serve as an eye-opener. Also, parents’ caring attitude will also go a long way in helping shape the child’s future.

The questions raised by Anjali Gopalan and Mini Krishnan should be assimilated by parents. The visual media has a negative influence on young minds since many films and serials highlight violence and vengeance. As civilisation advances, virtues and values seem to take a back seat.

Two years ago we traveled from Gurgaon to Jaipur by train. A large group of students with three teachers from an elite Gurgaon school were in our coach. The children occupied seats reserved for others and refused to vacate them. They were noisy and threw wrappers and empty bottles. When told to put their waste in the bin, they rudely replied that the government had employed sweepers for the purpose. The teachers kept mum throughout. These are students of a school that charges a six-figure fee; every student had a lap top. But apparently they were not taught respect for law, civic sense or the respect and tolerance necessary to live in a community.

Modern parents do their best to insulate their children from poverty and the realities of life. They provide their children with money but do not teach them values. They choose the best schools for their children to score some brownie points in a kitty party or cocktail circuits. Aggression is eulogised, and encouraged. A nation such as ours cannot afford to wish away poverty. We need to realise that we are moving from deprivation to sufficiency not to prosperity. Imbalance needs to be addressed, if not our children will probably live in a socially volatile setting which will affect the coming generations.

Anjali Gopalan rightly emphasised the need of cultivating social values in children. Children are today witness to violence at home, alcoholism, in movies, television and news. Our society is filled with caste, religious and political antagonism. It is time to rebuild our social values and moral principles. We have to inculcate virtues like compassion, good will and cooperation in the minds of young children.

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