The Tribune, Chandigarh, India

Friday, January 11, 2002, Chandigarh, India

THE TRIBUNE SPECIALS

50 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

TERCENTENARY CELEBRATIONS

M A I L B A G

Intervention, religion and terrorism: the real issue goes abegging

THE article "Intervention, religion and terrorism” by Mr Hari Jaisingh (Jan 4) was informative. The UN has proved to be worthless so far as India's terrorism is concerned. Where should India complain? Pleadings before big powers like the USA, China, Russia and the UK mean showing our helplessness and begging for peace. The big powers have never realised that India has been suffering from this malaise for the past many years and they woke up only after September 11.

Had America realised the pain India is experiencing and shared its agony, it might have not suffered this disaster. India did very right by taking steps, including calling our country's representative back and discontinuing the bus and rail services.

I think more stringent steps should be taken against Pakistan and all business deals should be cancelled. India can go to the extent of asking those who have their relatives in Pakistan to opt for Pakistan or alternately pressurise their relations not to support Pakistan's military dictators' support for terrorism.

Indian leaders should raise this issue with world leaders and make them realise to the extent that they take appropriate action against General Musharraf.

UJAGAR SINGH, Chandigarh

Peace eludes man: Mr Jaisingh has rightly pricked the conscience of the civilised man. One should not be surprised, if despite the high claims of the military success of the Operation Enduring Freedom, peace and prosperity for the common man remain elusive. September 11 and December 13 may have invoked the conscience of the whole human race.

The major challenge before the human civilisation is the cold, ruthless and unsentimental brutes that through their irrational and bloody ways wish to destroy the very basics of civilised living i.e. the freedom of thought and choice and a peaceful co-existence.

VED GULIANI, Hisar

Teach it a lesson: The writer deserved kudos for stressing the need that countries like Pakistan and Talibanised Afghanistan or the sponsored terrorist outfits should have no right to intervene in the affairs of other countries in the name of religion.

India has never intervened in the affairs of any other country on the basis of religion. The Indian leaders should shed their long-time lenient policies towards Pakistan. Let the world leaders try to defuse the situation in the subcontinent, failing which the Indian government must teach Pakistan a befitting lesson.

D. P. JINDAL, Mandi Gobindgarh

No intervention: Mr Hari Jaisingh has raised the issue whether a country or a group of people has the right to intervene in the affairs of another nation in the name of religion. The answer is a big NO. Also this is a clear violation of the civilised human order which Islamic fundamentalism has refused to adhere.

The use of religion in forwarding selfish political interest is an aberration which needs to be corrected. Even religion is not the binding force when the policy of exploitation of people by co-religious leaders can lead to secession. The creation of Bangladesh proves this point. Will, not force, is the basis of state.

K. L. BATRA, Yamunanagar

Why war-mongering?

THE bellicose environment that surrounds this region will do no one any good. So why waste our time, energies and resources on fuelling war-mongering activities?

I’m sure that if both parties come up to the dialogue table with a clear and optimistic frame of mind, something positively solid would come out of it. We can for once do away with any smart alecs and their old and beaten idiosyncrasies and earnestly seek solutions to the problems we are jointly facing.

None of our leaders got killed in the ‘65 and ‘71 wars. It was the masses that suffered and the soldiers who got killed plus our economies got choked. None of us is in a position to fight and nor would it ever address our grievances. Pakistan and India would both stay on the world map even after their wild adventures but mere standing, and standing out proud, are ways apart.

Why are we bent upon reducing ourselves to empty sacks? To bag the mockery of the international community? We better stop our egos from writing cheques we can’t encash. We should instead go in for things like student exchange programmes between the two neighbours i.e. of short duration to start with. I am sure our student community would warmly receive any steps taken in this regard.

M. IMRAN SHAH & students of the Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar

US example: The intervention by any individual nation on the basis of religion would encourage militancy with the result the border of brotherhood and mutual respect for each other’s religion would crumble like a house of cards. This can also lead to civil war in the entire world. The USA has wisely consulted and convinced the world leaders on the need for waging a war against terrorism. Our leadership must act with grit and determination to defeat the very design of the fundamentalists.

MULTAN SINGH PARIHAR, Jalari (Hamirpur)

A rogue state: The task to declare Pakistan a rogue state ought to have been accomplished much earlier by the well-meaning states. Even the USA has ignored it willy-nilly. Any dilly-dallying approach will further make a mess of every action taken against the monster of terrorism.

IQBAL SINGH, Bijhari (Hamirpur)

A threat: The September 11 incident, thought foiled by the Indian forces, has been most retrogatory one and rightly condemned by the world community. Hence, Pakistan should crack down on terrorist organisations like Lakshar-e-Toiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed. For it may prove to be threat to the new world order.

HANS RAJ JAIN, Moga

Moral duty?: Our belligerent neighbour takes pride in describing its aiding and abetting of terror as its moral duty. However, the world at large knows that such acts of Pakistan do not conform to the lofty ideals that Islam stands for and, therefore, cannot be termed as jehad.

VIRENDRA GOSAIN, Batala

US dithering: Why is the USA dithering in asking Pakistan to desist from aiding and abetting terrorists operating from its soil against the largest democracy of the world? This is what baffles one and makes one suspicious about its intentions because everyone knows it can make Pakistan stop cross-border terrorism and jehadi intervention against India.

TARSEM S. BUMRAH, Batala

The RSS role

In the news item "Stay on book due to political reasons" (Dec. 31) it is stated: "The volume reveals the role played by the Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh and the Hindu Mahasabha during 1914, a crucial year marking the beginning of the First World War.”

The news is false, mischievous and against facts. The RSS was founded in 1925. The great historian has revealed facts regarding the RSS dating back to 1914, years before its coming into being!

R. C. SARDANA, Kurukshetra

Service matters

There is a report from Haryana that about 65 per cent cases pending in courts are on service matters. The state is considering to refer these cases to the Lok Adalats and require senior officers to attend the Lok Adalats so that these pending cases could be settled. Such a decision must be taken by other states also.

DALIP SINGH WASAN, Patiala

Ban on smoking

The report "HP bans smoking" (Jan 3) is amusing, to say the least. More likely than not, the "smokers" would just laugh away the ban rather than take it seriously.

The ban on smoking in public places" has been imposed in the state umpteen times, but without any result.

TARA CHAND, Ambota (Una)

Tailpiece

Q: Guess the man who has gained maximum from terrorism in India.

A: Zinda Shaheed M. S. Bitta

K.J.S. AHLUWALIA, Amritsar