Letters to Editor

America, An Hypocrite Nation

When the whole world has expressed indebtedness to America for killing the most despicable terrorist Osama bin Laden, Prof. Arindam Chaudhuri’s editorial “Pakistan : The real rogue nation” (TSI 9-15 May) opens up the Pandora’s box. Though America is worthy of ample accolade for its daring and innovative endeavour to wipe out Laden, its double standard certainly deserves contempt as well as thousands of excuses. Prof. Chaudhuri is undoubtedly forthright in this context because he makes a mockery of America that created Osama and the same country at present is displaying unilateral tendency. Thank God, the end of Osama has saved America from further mayhem like WTO demolition. In the past, America in the pretext of containing terrorism destroyed the terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan, but it never exhibited same intentions in Pakistan. So America’s double speak to safeguard its interest is a subject of vehement criticism. If this super power bars the financial support to Pakistan and stops moralising anti-terrorism action there, it may get a better response from the world. US must learn from India’s stance to root out terrorism without any such double dealing for maintainance of global peace.

Durbadal Ghibela
Balangir, Odisha

Anna's Dream of India

This refers to editorial by Arindam Chaudhuri “India needs to be led ...” (TSI, April 18- May 1). Anna Hazare is the living 'Gandhi' of 21st century India who has awakened the country through his crusade against corruption and struggle to instill morality in politics. He went on an hunger strike and forced the Indian government to concede to his demands. Even though India has witnessed many campaigns post independence, but the one led by Anna Hazare got public attention like never before. Hazare has fought on behalf of a billion plus Indians for an effective anti-corruption legislation and has now expressed his readiness to accept parliament’s decision on the Jan Lokpal bill. Now if the Jan Lokpal bill draft is dumped by the Indian Parliament, it will not only put a question mark on the credibility of the elected members, but it will also jeopardise the overall growth of the country. Such a move, however, would go against Hazare’s dream to convert India into a strong nation where every man has a role to play in its growth story.

Ramchandran Nair
Oman

Wake-up Authorities !

The write-up “Children pay for our peril” (TSI, May 2-8) should serve as an eye-opener to the concerned. The concept of missing children is quite alarming and authorities do not seem to be concerned. There appears to be lack of will and measures adopted to be devoid of effectiveness. Apart from hunger, poverty, lack of education and other social paucities, there is a possibility of children being sacrificed by way of superstitious acts. This practice is still prevailing in many pockets of the country, particularly in the rural and semi-urban areas. There are also cases where children are invalidated and deformed and then forced to beg at public places. In short, the young ones are exploited and are used as a means of earning by their masters. The fact that cases of missing children are on the rise we surely need a change in the system. It is certainly, imperative for India to build a specialised and focused database to help find kids who are lost or abducted. Here, media too has a crucial role to play to safeguard the interests and safety of the little ones.

Prem K. Menon
Mumbai

Anna knows india's pain
The snowballing response to the crusade against corruption triggered off by social activist Anna Hazare is an index of the pent-up anger among people at large over the manner in which politicians of all hues are taking the country for a ride through misuse of office and naked corruption.  “India needs to be led ...” (TSI, April 18- May 1), by Arindam Chaudhuri narrates the public exasperation over corruption has been there for long but it needed a person of unimpeachable integrity to lead and convert it into a movement. The trigger may be the Lokpal bill that has been hanging fire for as long as 42 years but the public outrage is not confined to the bill alone. It goes much beyond that. With the gap between the haves and have-nots widening, with hordes of young people denied jobs due to their inability to pull strings, with wheeling-dealing on the increase and yielding dividends in every walk of life, there is a sense of frustration among the diminishing tribe of honest people which is ready to explode.
P. Arihanth
Secunderabad

The world post osama
Osama bin Laden was finally captured and killed 10 years after he masterminded the horrific attack on the World Trade Center in New York. What is more important is that he was hiding in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, situated in close proximity to the Military Academy. Arindam Chaudhuri in his cover story “Pakistan: The real rouge nation” (TSI, May 9-15), is absolutely right in saying that Pakistan is a rogue state actively involved in sheltering and sponsoring terrorism. Mere construction of facts is enough to drive home this argument. Just as the world heaves a sigh of relief, the basic question remains unanswered. Post Osama, is the world a safer place? The answer, I am afraid, is not in the affirmative. Being a psychiatrist, I would like to add that not all individuals become terrorists under the given socio-economic circumstances. They are more prone to Anti-social Personality Disorder and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. So, individuals who are psychologically vulnerable, when exposed to difficult social and economic conditions are very likely to become terrorists.
Manorama Sidhu
Jalandhar, Punjab

Being Gandhi or Not
This is in reference to Sutanu Guru's article "Great Gandhigiri...But certainly no Gandhi" (TSI, April 18- May 1). The article was extremely interesting read. It is amusing that no one in the Media until  this point had guts to publish such a issue with a second thought about Anna Hazare being dubbed as Modern Gandhi in-spite of his aggressive streak and violent ways in the past. In fact I am not to sure that even Anna wants to be a modern avatar of Gandhi, as he has been quoted as saying that, "The need of the hour is to be Shivaji and not Gandhi".
Mohd. Sirajuddin
New Delhi

The Naked Titillation
This refers to “Bare naked emotion” (TSI May 2-8) on 'Naked Therapy'. Though it is not entirely a repulsive idea, but it is not worthy of experiment. What kind of reaction will it have on the patients needs a deeper analysis? Seeing naked body of women may have a titillating effect at first, but patients expectations will not end by mere 'sight-seeing'. The arousal technique may induce the patient to 'perform' for they are incapable due to physical debility. This may lead to frustration and mental depression, which in itself is another form of sickness. Besides, the patients might have got accustomed to see the 'ups and down' of the same person. The patient may demand to go to the 'next level' of arousal technique. The whole affair will be reduced to that of mere voyeurism with no therapeutic value at all.
V.N.Gopal
Chennai

Mayawati Holds Tight
This refers to cover story “The second coming ...” (TSI, May 2-8) on UP chief minister Mayawati. The TSI-C Pre Poll-Survey rightly indicates that Mayawati will retain power in the next year upcoming Assembly elections. She would succeed in doing so because the opposition parties are weaker this time. The state of Samajwadi Party and the Congress is bad and they are rocked by infighting. Compared to others who ruled this most populous state of the country the record of the Dalit party (BSP) is not bad. But is some ways or other Mayawati had failed to uplift dalits who continue to be poor, illiterate and ill-treated by the upper caste. Things have not changed in UP despite Rahul Gandhi emerging as a new force. All the parties are busy in vote and caste politics. None of them have unrolled any pro-people policies. They have only been involved in lip services. If these parties want to defeat Mayawati then they have to get down to work, which they are unwilling to do. The voters have become more matured and  they vote for party which can safeguard their interests. Right now it appears that Mayawati's BSP is that party.
R.Srinivasan
Secunderabad