08-08-2008, 11:28 PM
<b> Jammu unrest</b>
This refers to the editorial âUnholy allianceâ (Aug. 8) on the situation in Jammu, arising out of the revocation of an order allotting 40 hectares of forest land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board. Exploiting controversial issues for partisan ends is of a piece with the BJP. The party is indulging in one-upmanship and fomenting trouble in Jammu and Kashmir for electoral gains. The Congress is equally to blame for mishandling the issue.
The month-long tensions have endangered the fragile peace which dawned on the State after years of turmoil. Hindu fundamentalists are hijacking the agitation to come upfront. On the other hand, Muslim fundamentalists too are exploiting the volatile situation to communalise the Valleyâs politics further. What is at stake is peace.
Tarsem Singh,
New Delhi
It is absolutely true that âover the years, variants of this [Chenab] partition plan have been endorsed by both Hindu and Muslim communalists.â Since independence, the divisive forces in India have been harping on religious and other sensitive issues instead of concentrating on nation-building activity. With an eye on the next election, the communal forces are exploiting to the hilt the Shrine Board issue. Almost all political parties have communal elements in their fold because the communal card fetches them votes. It has become easy to communalise any issue by wrong propaganda, wherein the voice of the secularists and democrats is suppressed.
Kamal Sani,
Hyderabad
It is obvious that the BJP is adding fuel to the fire in Jammu to derive political mileage in the coming elections. But the main Opposition party seems unaware of the fact that by engineering an economic blockade in the Valley and by coercing Muslims in Jammu to flee, it is encouraging the secessionists who are scheming to divide J&K on communal lines.
While the Centreâs inaction has allowed the situation in the State to go out of hand, the non-stop âbreaking newsâ by television news channels has amplified the muddle.
Syed Sultan Mohiddin,
Kadapa
<b>
A large share of the blame for the situation J&K finds itself in rests with the Union Home Minister himself.</b>
It was the inept handling of the Shrine Board row by him that led to the issue snowballing into a virtual catastrophe.
Vishweshwara Bhat Bangaradka,
Puttur
The recent developments in J&K have shattered the communal harmony in the State. The BSF has claimed that the ISI is waiting to push 800 militants into India through the LoC in Kashmir.
If it succeeds in its plan, the tensions in J&K will increase. All political parties should recognise the threat and evolve a consensus to solve the problem.
Ankit Mehta,
Varanasi
The registration of political parties inciting communal and caste violence should be cancelled. Individuals perpetrating hate campaign on these grounds should be disqualified from contesting elections. With the electronic media everywhere, there is no paucity of reliable evidence. Only strict laws can deter individuals and groups from inciting violence causing loss of lives and property.
Gopa Joshi,
New Delhi<b>
During the agitation in the Kashmir Valley against the land transfer to the SASB, there was not a single instance of a non-Kashmiri or an Amarnath yatri being harassed or injured. No one stopped the pilgrims from coming â in fact, this year a record number visited the shrine. Local Kashmiris voluntarily distributed food to them. In Jammu, too, the common people are not hostile to Muslims or Kashmiris. But there are some people who spread hate by indulging in vandalism and harassing Muslims.
</b>
Imran Tak,
Bangalore<b>
Whenever Hindus demand their rights, they are dubbed communal. It is alleged that their agitation has been instigated by the BJP and the RSS, even if there is some merit in their demands.</b> The cancellation of the order allotting land to the SASB under pressure from the leaders of the Valley did not go down well with the people of Jammu who, rightly or wrongly, believe that they have been denied their rights by the leaders of the Valley and the Centre. The allotted land was meant only for putting up temporary structures for the Amarnath yatris during the pilgrimage. The demand for rights by the people of the majority community does not make them communal.
Amit Mehrotra,
Moradabad
The situation in J&K is alarming. A communal divide will only boost the morale of separatists. It is unfortunate that some political parties are adding fuel to the fire by threatening to carry out a fresh round of agitations. Their leaders have to understand that this is not the time to fish in troubled waters. We can only hope that good sense will prevail among all concerned.
Salin Thomas,
Kottayam
This refers to the editorial âUnholy allianceâ (Aug. 8) on the situation in Jammu, arising out of the revocation of an order allotting 40 hectares of forest land to the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board. Exploiting controversial issues for partisan ends is of a piece with the BJP. The party is indulging in one-upmanship and fomenting trouble in Jammu and Kashmir for electoral gains. The Congress is equally to blame for mishandling the issue.
The month-long tensions have endangered the fragile peace which dawned on the State after years of turmoil. Hindu fundamentalists are hijacking the agitation to come upfront. On the other hand, Muslim fundamentalists too are exploiting the volatile situation to communalise the Valleyâs politics further. What is at stake is peace.
Tarsem Singh,
New Delhi
It is absolutely true that âover the years, variants of this [Chenab] partition plan have been endorsed by both Hindu and Muslim communalists.â Since independence, the divisive forces in India have been harping on religious and other sensitive issues instead of concentrating on nation-building activity. With an eye on the next election, the communal forces are exploiting to the hilt the Shrine Board issue. Almost all political parties have communal elements in their fold because the communal card fetches them votes. It has become easy to communalise any issue by wrong propaganda, wherein the voice of the secularists and democrats is suppressed.
Kamal Sani,
Hyderabad
It is obvious that the BJP is adding fuel to the fire in Jammu to derive political mileage in the coming elections. But the main Opposition party seems unaware of the fact that by engineering an economic blockade in the Valley and by coercing Muslims in Jammu to flee, it is encouraging the secessionists who are scheming to divide J&K on communal lines.
While the Centreâs inaction has allowed the situation in the State to go out of hand, the non-stop âbreaking newsâ by television news channels has amplified the muddle.
Syed Sultan Mohiddin,
Kadapa
<b>
A large share of the blame for the situation J&K finds itself in rests with the Union Home Minister himself.</b>
It was the inept handling of the Shrine Board row by him that led to the issue snowballing into a virtual catastrophe.
Vishweshwara Bhat Bangaradka,
Puttur
The recent developments in J&K have shattered the communal harmony in the State. The BSF has claimed that the ISI is waiting to push 800 militants into India through the LoC in Kashmir.
If it succeeds in its plan, the tensions in J&K will increase. All political parties should recognise the threat and evolve a consensus to solve the problem.
Ankit Mehta,
Varanasi
The registration of political parties inciting communal and caste violence should be cancelled. Individuals perpetrating hate campaign on these grounds should be disqualified from contesting elections. With the electronic media everywhere, there is no paucity of reliable evidence. Only strict laws can deter individuals and groups from inciting violence causing loss of lives and property.
Gopa Joshi,
New Delhi<b>
During the agitation in the Kashmir Valley against the land transfer to the SASB, there was not a single instance of a non-Kashmiri or an Amarnath yatri being harassed or injured. No one stopped the pilgrims from coming â in fact, this year a record number visited the shrine. Local Kashmiris voluntarily distributed food to them. In Jammu, too, the common people are not hostile to Muslims or Kashmiris. But there are some people who spread hate by indulging in vandalism and harassing Muslims.
</b>
Imran Tak,
Bangalore<b>
Whenever Hindus demand their rights, they are dubbed communal. It is alleged that their agitation has been instigated by the BJP and the RSS, even if there is some merit in their demands.</b> The cancellation of the order allotting land to the SASB under pressure from the leaders of the Valley did not go down well with the people of Jammu who, rightly or wrongly, believe that they have been denied their rights by the leaders of the Valley and the Centre. The allotted land was meant only for putting up temporary structures for the Amarnath yatris during the pilgrimage. The demand for rights by the people of the majority community does not make them communal.
Amit Mehrotra,
Moradabad
The situation in J&K is alarming. A communal divide will only boost the morale of separatists. It is unfortunate that some political parties are adding fuel to the fire by threatening to carry out a fresh round of agitations. Their leaders have to understand that this is not the time to fish in troubled waters. We can only hope that good sense will prevail among all concerned.
Salin Thomas,
Kottayam