Unforgivable Deed"Although the Mahatma's decision adversely affected India, history will never forgive Godse for the means he adopted to counter his opponent."Uma Suresh,ChennaiTwo Sides to a TaleBy accepting the division of India, Mahatma Gandhi did act in a short-sighted manner. The result was the emergence of a hostile neighbour. Godse's ideological thrust was very focused ("Godse on Trial Again", August 3) but his methods were foul. True, India is a nation filled with compromises and indecisiveness. It is evident because despite what the Constitution states on everyone being equal, there are reservations based on caste and creed. Yet no one can condone Godse's act - that of taking the life of an old man.S. Duraiswamy, on e-mail from Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaUnless it is seditious, gagging a play like Mee Nathuram Godse Boltoy is counter-productive. And to invoke a ban when the issue pertains to Gandhi appears bizarre as he had always stood for the freedom of expression. If the play vilifies the Mahatma's character, it will wither under public gaze. Banning the play gives it an aura of martyrdom and the allure of the unseen. It whets the interest of even the disinterested. Besides, the play can also be posted on the Internet where it can be easily accessed. Are we so insecure that we feel the stature of the Mahatma will be lowered by the staging of this play?R. Rajaraman, on e-mail from ChennaiThe story has revealed a number of details which today's generation needs to know. After assasinating Mahatma Gandhi, Godse could have shot himself knowing he would not be spared, but he obviously wanted to put his views forward. In the history of the freedom struggle, no other freedom fighter attempted a similar act on stalwarts like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel or Subhash Chandra Bose. Was there really something the Mahatma overlooked which made Godse's blood boil? Banning a play or a book cannot change the facts. Is this another experiment with truth?Rajiv Chopra, DehradunMeddling Power MongersNo one understands the hardships the Indian armed forces personnel have to endure ("The Last Resort", August 3). They should not have to deal with politicking bureaucrats and ought to have an independent establishment like the Pentagon in the US. It is high time these bureaucrats stopped meddling with defence personnel by deciding who is to be promoted and who shouldn't be. They wouldn't have to take recourse to civil courts if this kind of political interference stopped.Anjana Beniwal, on e-mail from Washington.preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Constructive CriticismAlthough I respect Medha Patkar for her feelings about people affected by dam projects, Tavleen Singh makes a very valid point in contradicting Patkar's ways of handling such problems ("With Friends Like These", August 3). It is indeed sad that Patkar and her kind have caused immense losses amounting to crores of rupees. It is true that she begins her dharnas when projects are already underway. She must modify her approach. Only then will she find more support from pro-development people. There is no going back to the days of lanterns and bullock carts. People in villages want facilities like proper roads, running water and schools. Singh did a good job of constructively pointing out the follies of Patkar's approach.Mukund,on e-mailShaky InstitutionKudos to india today for the excellent article on marriages falling apart ("Till Whims Do Us Part", August 3). It was truly an eye-opener. The major cause of the alarming increase in divorces is the inability of young couples to keep in mind the practical aspects of life. A number of love marriages are inspired by the glamorous side to romance depicted on the big screen. It is only after marriage that reality strikes young couples. Contributing to the increasing divorce rate are the unreasonably high expectations partners have of each other. The unwillingness to compromise is also detrimental to a marriage. The young generation should not take the marriage issue so lightly and think twice before taking the plunge.Sundeep Sengupta, CalcuttaOn Deaf EarsIt is sad to note that the recommendations of the Disinvestment Commission have fallen on deaf years ("Struggling to Score", August 3). It is equally disheartening that the Government has decided to appoint global advisers for disinvestment. If the Government is not interested in considering the recommendations of the commission, then why cause embarrassment to its members?N. Iyer, on e-mail from Mumbai "The power wielded by irresponsible VIPs has never been as obvious as it is today. It's time the judiciary brought them to book."Shailesh Shah, on e-mail from RaipurAncient MindsetIt came as a shock that even while we are at the doorsteps of the 21st century, Indian politicians possess an 18th century mindset on the issue of the Women's Reservation Bill ("Scuttling the Bill, July 27). Though women form almost 50 per cent of the electorate, their number in Parliament is abysmally low. They have to be given their due.Sarit Jain, on e-mail from Toronto, CanadaBiased PositionThe report on the deteriorating law and order situation in Chandigarh fails to enumerate the acts of omissions of the police ("Running Amok", July 27). The truth is a number of people were pained at the inaction of the Chandigarh police who failed to control the unruly mob of armed youth in the shoot-out in the District Courts complex and at the way they were allowed to flee in their motorcade after unleashing a reign of terror there for 40 minutes. The fact that the police had not made any arrangements to combat the mob points to their complicity in the incident.A.S. Walia, ChandigarhTime for ActionTo avoid the complete obliteration of the evidence related to the fodder scam, the CBI, instead of twiddling its thumbs, should swing into action to nab the culprits ("Sinister Pattern", July 27). Any delay in dealing with this case in the absence of an iron hand will not leave an iota of fodder undigested, thereby hampering the chances of following the trail of misdeeds of our powerful and unscrupulous yet petty politicians.Shahid Akhtar,PatnaLife in the Fast LaneThere are innumerable reasons for the increasing number of children turning violent ("Growing up in Anger", July 27). Loosening family ties, the burden of increasing competition, the growing influence of money and nepotism are some of the changes that are pushing children into the fast lane of life. A lack of communication, the near absence of guidance on moral values and diminution of proper rearing are further compounding the frustration in young minds. Most parents think substituting time and loving care with money is adequate compensation for a child's needs. This is incorrect and it is time parents woke up to this fact.Major-General S.P. Makkar, DelhiMalnourished NationIt is believed that healthy citizens make a prosperous country. Not so in India, with the prices of essential commodities spiralling at a fast rate ("Rising Prices", July 20). The poverty line seems to be rising instead of decreasing. Have the authorities ever given a thought to the plight of the poor and the middle class literally leading a hand to mouth existence? Leave aside meat and poultry, even vegetables are beyond reach now. Unless the Government does something to rectify this situation we will be a nation full of malnourished people. This will hamper progress in a major way.Josephine Fernandes, Mumbai"Will politics be rid of corruption if the Women's Reservation Bill is passed? Quota gimmicks will further divide India into interest groups."Ankur Parashar, on e-mail from Boston, USAChilling FindThe report on the merciless slaying of elephants was nerve chilling ("Deadly New Threat", July 20). It is disheartening to know that their numbers have been so drastically reduced. The Government should take firm measures to stop this. Sophisticated arms should be provided to the rangers so that they may successfully perform their duty of protecting these unfortunate animals. When will we realise that tampering with wildlife will only result in disaster?Garima Gandhi, on e-mail from SuratParallel BureaucracyThe analysis cannot be dismissed lightly (Race Course Road, "Battling the Babus", July 13). The real reason for the increasing distance between the prime minister and top civil servants is the burgeoning parallel bureaucracy of the PMO. Why should files forwarded by the different ministries require fresh examination in the PMO? Each secretary is individually responsible and files marked to the prime minister should require no further scrutiny.N. Khosla, Panchkula, HaryanaPublished By: AtMigration Published On: Aug 17, 1998--- ENDS ---
