People’s army

Sir — My sympathies lie with the families of those slain in the gruesome Maoist attacks on police stations and outposts in Nayagarh, but not with the officers who were killed (“Maoists 100 km of power hub”, Feb 17). The evident connection between politics and crime is getting more pronounced by the day. Politicians often employ the police in such misdeeds as the forcible eviction of the poor and the capture of their land on the pretext of promoting development and industry. The inequity between the social classes is what allows anti-establishment outfits and the Maoists to thrive. Our comrades in Bengal, who have seized power using the aspirations of the poor, have now turned capitalists, too. The Nayagarh incident, where no local residents were hurt, is just one indication of how the poor are fighting back.

Yours faithfully,
R.S. Sharma, Calcutta

Sir — The Maoist success in Nayagarh has exposed the glaring weakness of the state police and the total failure of its intelligence machinery. The fact that the mayhem continued unimpeded raises questions about the collusion of local accomplices. The Centre and the state should also focus on fast-track implementation of development projects and the building up of the infrastructure in the tribal, backward and poverty-stricken districts of Orissa. The administration should not forget that poverty and backwardness provide the perfect breeding ground for Naxalites.

Yours faithfully,
J.N. Mahanty, Puri

Multiplying hatred

Sir — In “The cowed centre” (Feb 16), Ramachandra Guha is right in pointing out that while different shades of bigotry continue to make themselves evident in the ostensibly democratic society in India, nothing constructive is being done to keep these tendencies in check. Trivial issues or non-issues are used by the zealots to spark off violence. They feel that their political clout gives them the freedom to dictate the principles on which this country is to be run. Most of us are bigots in one way or the other since we find the silence of our elected representatives and the government on such issues entirely acceptable. We often elect a tolerant government so that it will put up with our intolerance. This is what Indian democracy is all about. We are oblivious to the fact that there is no comfort in being a part of the nation unless all sections of society are tolerant of one another’s beliefs.

Yours faithfully,
Md. Aslam Parvez, Calcutta

Sir — A voyeuristic media is responsible for inciting religious violence. The point has been effectively driven home by Ramachandra Guha. The media, in particular the electronic media, go to vulgar lengths to sensationalize macabre happenings, making heroes out of villains by giving them the publicity they desire. Unfortunately, if this trend is allowed to grow unchecked, the media will lose their credibility.

Yours faithfully,
Surajit Das, Calcutta

Pulse rate

Sir — Ashok Mitra’s “A crippling indifference” (Feb 18) throws up the problem of the rural poor. Already malnourished, they are increasingly finding it difficult to buy pulses, their only source of protein. This is primarily due to faulty government planning. The imbalance in prices should be corrected as also that in the per capita grain availability.

Yours faithfully,
A.S. Mehta, Calcutta

Sir — What Ashok Mitra highlights is a fact known to many. The poor in India consume khesari, a species of vetch, because they cannot afford pulses, and they thus invite latherysm, a kind of paralysis. But there is nothing surprising in the fact that after 61 years of independence and several five-year-periods of rigorous planning, the government has been able to provide its people nothing better. How could it? There are millions of rupees to be spent on nuclear and space research. India’s anxiety to achieve technological progress overlooks the more pressing needs of the nation — to rescue its people from the vicious cycle of malnutrition, poverty and illiteracy. It is cruel to gloat over the country’s “growth rate” when thousands go without food.

Yours faithfully,
Kajal Chatterjee, Sodepur

Parting shot

Sir — The editorial, “Magic words” (Feb 15) focuses on an interesting development in Australia, where the prime minister has publicly apologized to the aborigines for past government misdeeds. However, it is difficult to write off the action simply as a political gimmick, as the editorial seems to suggest. Moral strength and courage of conviction are needed to overcome the arrogance of power and own up a fault. Kevin Rudd’s action is indeed praiseworthy, particularly given the fact that his predecessors failed to do what he has done.

A few years back, Japan too had apologized to China for its war crimes during World War II. But the failure to offer an unconditional apology queered its pitch. The United Kingdom too has accepted responsibility for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. However, none of these have had as much impact as Rudd’s apology is likely to have on his governance. Maybe the Malaysian government too should follow his example and apologize to the Indian community, which has accused it of discrimination.

Yours faithfully,
B.C. Bhowmick, Asansol