Letters

The Case Restsy The Central and state governments have proven their incompetence beyond doubt but does everything have to wait till the Supreme Court passes its verdict? Like many of my peace-loving countrymen, I believe silence only proves our complicity. Those guilty of the inhuman killing of karsevaks in Godhra need to be given exemplary punishment. I want to tell the Government that there's only one way to control the shameful situation: ban all religious institutions which are aggressive, violent, war-like and bloodthirsty. . Mahasveta Devi, Kolkata

There are many Muslims in this country who do not want to pay the price of a human life for a mere piece of land, especially when the disputed structure does not exist at all ("In the Line of Fire", March 11). A mosque ceases to be one when namaaz is not offered for 40 years, so why is the Muslim leadership adamant over the acquisition of the disputed land?

Arif Mohammed, Noida

The proposed Ayodhya temple is now accursed as its stone pillars are tainted with human blood. If it is built the worshippers will be cursed by the dead instead of being blessed by Lord Ram.

Rajen Das, on e-mail

We have the highest density of temples and the devout but we adopt shameful values influenced by our power-hungry priests and contractors of religion. All of us must join to condemn violence against humanity in the name of God. For God does not need temples and nor do the citizens of India.

Sanjiv Gupta, on e-mail

If The intensity of anger generated by the Godhra killings among every citizen is alike, why didn't the communal carnage of Gujarat get replicated in other communally sensitive states like Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar? It is this fact that points a finger at the Gujarat Government, putting a question mark on its willingness to contain the worst ever anti-Muslim riots. Narendra Modi's statement is as ridiculous as Rajiv Gandhi's infamous quote justifying the anti-Sikh riots after Indira Gandhi's assassination: "When a big tree falls, the earth trembles."

Mohammed Amir Idrees, Lucknow

It is distressing that a handful of parochial politicians and ruthless zealots are capable of damaging the centuries-old culture of India. The carnage in Gujarat amply illustrates the malaise of mobocracy which does not augur well for our democracy unless all of us, cutting across caste, creed and community, denounce such heinous acts.

A.U.S. Lal, Kolkata

How is it that only the northern part of the country is involved in the Ram temple movement when the whole nation has Ram devotees? If we want to rise above these petty political machinations there is an urgent need for a new breed of Indians with a mindset attuned to the present scenario and instilled with values generated by centuries of true Indian civilisation.

Yeshwant Moodliar, on e-mail

The VHP has gone a step ahead of Nadir Shah, Genghis Khan and Adolf Hitler: they slaughtered and gassed people but never burnt alive men, women and children.

J. Trivedi, Ahmedabad

The VHP and RSS have forfeited all rights to call themselves Hindus. They have promoted fanaticism and intolerance which are completely contrary to the basic tenets of Hinduism. Building religious edifices does not demonstrate the state of spiritual development of a religion, respect for sanctity of life does.

Indrani Purkayastha, on e-mail

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