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RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat is making a vain attempt to photoshop the kaleidoscope of Indian polity using Hindutva logic. His claim that the ‘cultural identity of all Indians is Hindutva’ stems from his bigotry and poor understanding of history.
There is no way he can change the pluralist nature of Indian society evolved over millennia. His line of reasoning that ‘all citizens are descendants of Hindus’ is factually incorrect and shows his lack of liberalism. The indigenous people of India had their primitive beliefs and ways of life without social division pre-dating the advent of Hinduism and sanctified social hierarchy.
G David Milton
Kanyakumari
Anti-nationals
TRS MP K Kavitha’s sudden love for the plight of Kashmiri Pandits is not surprising. She is likely to be in trouble for sedition due to her remarks on J&K and Telangana, claiming these lands did not belong to the Indian Union.
Our politicians are always smart enough to escape trouble, despite making irresponsible, anti-national remarks like Kavitha did. Of late, after Telangana became a separate State, some of its leaders have had the temerity to question the validity of some areas belonging to the Indian Union, apart from opposing AP’s rights, even in small matters.
VS Ganeshan
Bangalore
Indirect targets
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley has said that quicker growth in the manufacturing and infrastructure sectors will help meet the indirect tax target. He may be right. At the same time, one feels the Government could think of lowering the rates of excise duty and Customs duty to boost production, employment and income. Despite adopting such a policy, the government’s target of indirect tax collection will not be compromised.
S Ramakrishnasayee
Ranipet, Tamil Nadu
A game-changer
The landmark legislation seeking to set up a six-member National Judicial Appointments Commission to appoint judges to the Supreme Court and the high courts has brought down the curtains on the existing collegium approach.
The Bill aims to give the commission constitutional status to ensure that future governments do not tweak it through an ordinary legislation with a simple majority.
The Bill proposes that the six-member Commission be headed by the CJI and have two senior SC judges as members. What is noteworthy is that one of the eminent persons on the commission will belong to SC, ST, OBC, minorities or women.
NJ Ravi Chander
Bangalore
The right symbol
I am saddened by the reaction of a few misguided fellow Indians who are campaigning against the statue of Mahatma Gandhi which is to be erected near the Houses of Parliament in Britain in recognition of his immense contribution to the free world.
Their protest is unwarranted and unnecessary and above all, counterproductive. If Britain wishes to acknowledge the contribution of a leader who was also the architect for bringing an end to the British rule in India, then it surely speaks volumes about the great man. In fact, I shudder to think what our future would have been if it wasn’t for Gandhiji’s struggle for our Independence.
The statue of someone who renounced violence and spoke of civility many decades ago, when violence is still being perpetrated today on minorities by majorities on a daily basis, will act as a great symbol of peace and harmony. His famous saying, “an eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind” would serve us well today. Bapuji’s message of love and nonviolence has become more important than ever before in our fractured world. Peace can only come when world leaders start to follow Gandhiji’s ideals. His statue will reminds us of his contribution to nonviolence and a peaceful coexistence.
Those who attempt to denigrate the memory of Bapuji, in fact do the same for humanity itself and this cannot be allowed to happen.
Rami Ranger MBE
Chairman, The British Sikh Association
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