Knocked Down"The various constituents of the United Front will scatter like pearls from a necklace when the power-thread breaks."Raaj Gopal Mehrotra, KanpurJustified CriticismSonia Gandhi simply can not escape criticism for the special perks provided to her and her family at the exchequer's expense ("Dynastic Perks", February 16). It is obvious that she wants to regain the status of a VVIP which she once had as the prime minister's wife. In her own silent and shrewd way, she, in fact, contributed to the fall of the UF government. And if the Congress comes back to power, we will only be going back to another long spell of dynastic rule.L.A. Dang, DelhiMeans to an EndAlthough the cover story on the BJP ("BJP's Changing Colours", February 9) made for an impressive read, one must understand that politics and power for the party are only means to an end. What is relevant is the Bharatiya ethos, which cuts across all artificial walls that divide Indian voters on the basis of caste and creed. But the invisible bond among the Sangh Parivar remains a mystery for observers. Whether the BJP comes to power or not, India's future will be strongly influenced by the Sangh Parivar's commitment to its ideology.Shrikrishna N. Phadnis, MumbaiAcross the country, the general feeling that prevails is the surety of the BJP's coming to power. But can it take India into the 21st century while it still holds on to age-old ideas of rath yatras, saffron robes and havans? While the world is making all kinds of scientific breakthroughs, the BJP still ponders over the building of a Ram temple. And how can one be sure that its anti-minority stance won't resurface if it comes to power? One is already witness to ego clashes between L.K. Advani and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Even though he is not corrupt, is Vajpayee really dynamic enough to lead a complex country such as ours?Priya Advani, MumbaiNo Unequal CrimeWith reference to your editorial ("Crime and Over-punishment", February 9), I am shocked at the assertion "... to send 26 people to the gallows for one murderous crime does appear an overreaction". If each of the accused knowingly participated in achieving the heinous objective, then he or she is equally guilty. There are no "varying degrees of guilt". No excuses, please. I hope this sends out a message loud and clear. It may act as a deterrent to similar crimes in the future, in a world that's gone crazy and gets more ruthless and violent every day.A.K. Mantri, LondonYankee Go HomeThe American MNCS' influx into our country and their extensive hardselling through the media is responsible for today's youth affecting a jargon with a Yankee accent and sporting American designer wear ("Americana: Like, This Is It", February 9). It is a pity that the yuppies of our country are misled into believing that by adopting this American ghetto culture they can become "cool". It is time that Indians realise that the rest of the world will respect them more if they had an identity of their own rather than blatantly aping the culture of another country that doesn't even have history worth mentioning.N. Sudhakaran, ThiruvananthapuramTragic Eye-openerSome people spend all their time cribbing about the small things in life which they lack. But when I read about the plight of cotton farmers in Andhra Pradesh committing suicide because of low yields and enormous loans they were unable to repay ("Driven to Death", February 9), it was an eye-opener. It reminds one of the clich about wanting new shoes while there are others who don't even have feet.Kriti Kamra, DelhiStripped of Self-respectThe Congress president was once all-powerful. Sadly, the incumbent Sitaram Kesri seems to have been stripped of even his ceremonial status by Sonia Gandhi ("Controlling Interest, February 9), the photograph adorning the cover of the party's manifesto (read "womanifesto") being the exception. Kesri has reduced himself to a poor joke by falling at the lady's feet. It is an insult to all Congressmen, who anyway seem to be severely lacking in self-respect.Amarnath Kamat, MumbaiUnjust JusticeSentencing all of the 26 accused in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case in one go was far more unprecedented than the crime itself ("Shock Sentence", February 9). In fact, the sentence reflects the rigidity of the law, flexibility in its interpretation and the extent to which the judge can exercise his discretion, independent of precedents or fair play. While every fair-minded person would have condemned the killing of Rajiv, few could have endorsed the death sentence pronounced by Justice Navaneetham. The elementary position missed here in the administration of justice is that the gravity of a crime like an assassination does not depend upon the office or social position of the victim of the crime. Fair administration of justice demands that the punishment meted out should be in relation to the extent of involvement of the accused in the execution of the crime. This kind of sentence, I feel, is totally uncalled for.K.R. Pillai,Thiruvananthapuram"Vajpayee may find it difficult to please Bhagwan, Allah and Christ at the same time if the BJP comes to power. Pigs can't fly; neither can the party change colour overnight."Samir M. Mahajan, ChandigarhStepping up TiesIn a significant diplomatic breakthrough, India and France have agreed to expand their bilateral ties to "sew up specific projects" in the fields of space, defence, nuclear energy for civilian use, aeronautics, urban equipment and transport ("Saying it in French", February 9). France has displayed a rare flexibility with regard to the transfer of technology to India and is the first western nation to do so without any reservations. They have also decided to step up trade and investment. This is a good sign for India and one hopes similar diplomatic ties will be strengthened for our country to be able to benefit from them in the future.Attar Chand, DelhiGrim SituationI was misquoted in your article on Kashmir, which said I would never go back to Kashmir ( "A Sinister Strike", February 9). What I had said, in fact, was that I would not go back to the Valley so long as the grim situation lasted. Also, the year in which I migrated to the capital was 1990, and not 1995 as published.B.L. Labroo, Delhi"The massacre of 23 Kashmiri Pandits was a blow to the ideals of humanity and true secularism. The hope of peace returning to the Valley may just be an elusive dream."Imran Nabi, SrinagarThe Last StrawTavleen Singh's comments on Sonia Gandhi are testing my patience ("My family and its Flunkeys", February 2). Her being ashamed at the thought of India having an Italian prime minister was the last straw. I would like to know as to whether she realises which country Mother Teresa was born in or has she simply refused to acknowledge it? Tavleen seems to have forgotten the sacrifices made by the Nehru-Gandhi family. India Today is not her school history textbook; she can't just tear away chapters from it to suit herself.Hashim Khanyari, SrinagarLesson in IdealismThough shrouded by grief, it was a moment of great pride for many an Indian who watched Anita Datt receive the Ashok Chakra on behalf of her gallant son ("Profile in Courage", February 2). How does a young man with a whole life ahead of him commit such an act of supreme sacrifice? He went into the jaws of death with total disregard for personal safety. This kind of idealism is fast-vanishing in the world today. The race for money and power is taking over these ideals as the younger generation is blinded by the lucrative corporate world. How many young men would have paused to wonder about Puneet Datt's courageous sacrifice and draw inspiration to emulate him?Gaurav Ray,SecunderabadPublished By: AtMigration Published On: Mar 2, 1998--- ENDS ---
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