L E T T E R S    T O    T H E    E D I T O R

Appeasement of minorities won’t do

The basic assumption in S. Nihal Singh’s article, “Advani at it again” (Aug 12) that Mr Advani is desperate because he thinks “the prize of power” is slipping out of his hand is neither based on facts nor is in good taste. It is too early to celebrate the BJP’s defeat in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections. The BJP has won almost all the Assembly elections in important states under the UPA’s regime.

On the other hand, the hypocrisy of media in condoning and underplaying horse-trading indulged in by the Congress with the help of Mr Amar Singh and Company is all too patent to be ignored.

Unfortunately, some sections are not conversant with the ideological commitments of the BJP. Whether one likes it or not, the issues of Ram Setu and Amarnath Shrine land transfer highlight what the BJP has been accusing the
UPA government of — undue appeasement of minorities to the extent of kneeling before the separatists, step-motherly treatment to Hindus on issues of
faith and pseudo-secularism.

Dr ASHOK KAPAHTIA, Shimla

II

Unlike the affable, witty and moderate Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr L.K. Advani is blatantly hard, harsh and he often frowns at opponents and easily succumbs to sectarian moorings.

For example, in a recent Youth Kranti rally in Delhi, an ice Shivlingam was put up for worship on the dais before the fiery speeches by high profile leaders. Mr Advani, in his address, after fine-tuning on democracy, justice, equality, employment and peace, suddenly switched over to the Jammu agitation. He wants to play pied piper to Hindu masses and feel that those who do not fall in line with his agenda are all anti-national.

To quote Professor Amartya Sen, “Hindu militant chooses India — explicitly and implicitly — as a country of unquestioning idolators, delirious fanatics, belligerent devotees and religious murderers”.

SUDERSHAN WALIA, Amritsar

India’s pride

Abhinav Bindra’s feat reminds me of an incident in the Rome Olympics of 1960.
Milkha Singh was fancied to win a medal in that Olympiad, but he couldn’t. John Reed, an American coach, said that four years from now India would look towards Gurbachan Singh Randhawa, who was 20 years then, for a medal in the Olympics. Indeed, in 1964 Olympics, Gurbachan came very close to winning a medal in 110 meters high hurdles.

From India’s teen sensation, Saina Nehwal’s performance in Beijing on August 13 in women’s singles (badminton), it can be safely concluded that she will be India’s top contender for a gold medal in the next Olympics. She is a child prodigy. Her scientist father is not rich enough to get her top notch coaching in India and abroad.

Saina Nehwal deserves fullest support by the Government of India and the Mittal Foundation for intensive coaching, high nourishment diet and international exposure.

HARJAP SINGH AUJLA, Monmouth Jn., (NJ, USA)

Runaway couples

Justice K. S. Ahluwalia of the Punjab and Haryana High Court wants the state governments to evolve a compassionate mechanism for redressing the grievances of runaway couples. The problem is due largely to love marriages. The government should either discourage love marriages or enact legislation to prevent them.

A boy and girl fall in love, get married and then divorce without any valid reason because the law permits it. Arranged marriages are performed between two
families and in case of any misunderstanding between couples, the families  amicably settle them.

S. S. GOEL, Panchkula