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

Remembering Kargil heroes

In the article “Kargil war: The neglected heroes” (Perspective, July 25), General V.P. Malik (retd) has rightly portrayed the state of affairs of frustration and feeling of neglect of families of Kargil war heroes who gave their today for our tomorrow by fighting for 73 days.

These soldiers are the only people who deserve the utmost respect. There is no job in the world that is more deserved than being in the Army. From the core of my heart, I salute them with pride.

The victory at Kargil, after two months of blood and sweat, was at the cost of 530 soldiers while over 700 were injured. The return of medals awarded to the many military veterans for gallantry and fighting wars, is justified as even after ten years the forces as well as the families of war heroes are feeling let down, ignored and neglected.

What to say that none of the senior dignitary has time to participate at the anniversary of the victory celebrations over Pakistan in Kargil. Even the Government of India has denied honouring many other heroes too right from the freedom movement to Kargil. Raising new war memorials and maintaining the existing ones will be a befitting tribune to the war heroes.

HARISH K. MONGA, Ferozepur City

Be Indians

I read Gautam Wahi’s article, “Avoid the politics of language” (Perspective, July 25). Perhaps there is no state in India which is completely monolingual. Now, if every linguistic group desires to form a state of their own, India needs to be fragmented in hundreds of provinces. And if all minority linguistic groups want their region to be merged with their “mother” state, for example, Belgaum with Maharashtra or Orissa’s Telugu-speaking Berhampur with Andhra Pradesh, then, the states will have to be reorganised.

It is time all linguistic groups learnt to be a little Indian. However, all states should ensure that the linguistic, cultural and economic rights of the minorities are adequately protected.

KAJAL CHATTERJEE, Kolkata

Getting to the roots of the problem I read Ash Narain Roy’s article, “New geopolitical paradigm” (Perspective, June 27). But it is just wishful thinking of an academic. The world economy is so intertwined that regional resurgence for a long duration is unsustainable. It has to grow or depress internationally. Thus, the US-Europe or Atlantic and Asian economies can never form a see-saw or an inversely proportional relationship. Asian is a mix of good and bad economies. The economy of Arab countries is already upbeat since 1974. The Japanese economy, being export-oriented, is always subjected to occasional hiccups. The Korean and Singapore economies are upbeat but small in size. China has definitely gone very far in developing high grade infrastructure. But its economy cannot become upbeat because it has to feed 1200 million people, create 600 million jobs constantly and is short of required natural resources. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal combine a rising population of 1600 million people and form the soft belly of the Asian economy. The Indian economy is upbeat only on paper or in speeches. India cannot boast of even 10 cities with 100 per cent sewerage system. Its economy can be upbeat only if it checks population growth, reduces oil import bill by 80 per cent, develops hydro power to its full potential and raises the human development index (HDI), which seem to be a far cry. RAM NIWAS MALIK, Gurgaon