Think before you sing

Sir ? It is alright to borrow words from Bollywood ghazals, to send over family members to sweet-talk Indians, to sit and watch cricket with the prime minister next door. But if Pervez Musharraf thinks that befriending popstars and the lovers of their music will sustain his rule in Pakistan, he is mistaken (?Great leader to pop-loving leader?, May 16). Even Benazir Bhutto, despite her adoption of Islamic attire, marriage to a feudal lord, and attempts to live up to tradition, could not survive politically. Musharraf seems to be tempting his fate, in other words, the ulemas.

Yours faithfully,
L. Haldar, Calcutta

Lingua fracas

Sir ? The official return of Meitei to Manipur is a landmark achievement for the people of the state and the chief minister, Okram Ibobi Singh (?Written out?, May 18). But his job will remain half-accomplished, if he is unable to restore the respect for Bengali in the hearts of those whom he represents. After all, love for one?s own script should not be made manifest at the expense of another, especially one which has served as an effective medium of communication for nearly three centuries.

Yours faithfully,
Arjun Chaudhuri, Calcutta

Sir ? Many like me have observed with keenness the movement spearheaded by the Meitei community to do away with the Bengali script and the violence it engendered (remember the torching of a famous library?). The editorial, ?Written out?, rightly observes Okram Ibobi Singh?s judiciousness in replacing the Bengali script to save the state from more mindless violence. After all, why continue to impose a script on a people who hate it? It will not take more than a year to sort out the difficulties that may arise because of the replacement. In fact, the government will jeopardize its position if it lingers too long over the process of change.

Yours faithfully,
Pijush Banerjee, Calcutta

Sir ? Although belated, the Manipur government?s decision to go for a change of script from Bengali to Meitei is a positive sign for the Indian democracy. The example shows that the problems of a people can still be sorted out within the federal structure of the country. However, an objective assessment of the situation is crucial to this process, and this is what most states usually turn away from when confronted with similar problems.

Yours faithfully,
C.R. Bhattacharjee, Calcutta

Sir ? The Meitei script is no less an imposition than Bengali had been. There are several tribes in Manipur to whom Meitei will remain a foreign language.

Yours faithfully,
S. Banerjee, Calcutta

Work harder

Sir ? The front page of The Telegraph on May 19 announced that the paper would henceforth publish news from The Times, London in addition to its ?formidable repertoire? which includes The Daily Telegraph, London, The New York Times and The Washington Post. This certainly does not conform to the ?unputdownable? standards The Telegraph has set for itself. In striving to bring ?the best of world journalism?, the newspaper cannot afford to lose its own identity. With the internet anyone can access these foreign newspapers, so printing news from these newspapers are no big deal. And if this is something to be proud of, a day may come when The Telegraph would borrow from its Indian counterparts and claim that it has ?All of India?s leading newspapers at the price of one?. To sustain its popularity, The Telegraph needs to continue to be ingenious, as it has always been.

Yours faithfully,
Anagh Pal, Calcutta