M A I L B A G

Atrocities on the poor in UP

This refers to the article “BJP’s ‘Congressisation’ problem” (Oct 31) by S. Nihal Singh. The author’s sharp criticism of the BJP is fair and rationale. I agree with his viewpoint that it is ignoring “morality, conventions and constitutional propriety” to stay in power.

I don’t hold any brief for Mr Rajnath Singh and Mr Narendra Modi, but it is wrong to project their appointments as unconstitutional and against the democratic norms. The BJP high command cleared their names and now they have majority in the assemblies of Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. It is an internal matter of the BJP whom it wants to see as Chief Minister. We need not advise it about its Chief Ministers.

But what disturbs the saner elements in India the most is that the central and state BJP governments are doing maximum damage to the secular and democratic fabric of our country. They have been encouraging attacks on minorities, and justifying religious obscurantism. They did not get majority in the last U.P. Assembly elections but they purchased it with money and maintained it with the help of musclemen. Then, they tried to brazen it out in the name of running a coalition government.

The political analysts who believe that Mr Rajnath Singh has been able to rejuvenate the dying BJP in U.P. are highly mistaken. Atrocities on Dalits and the poor have touched new heights in the state since he took over as Chief Minister. A few doubtful votes which he might get as a result of his “most backwards’ card” will appear insignificant in the face of millions of Dalits and poor voting against the BJP in the next Assembly elections. In the eyes of the common people of U.P., the BJP is the national party of upper castes, moneylenders and mafia gangs. Mr Rajnath Singh speaks the tough language of medieval Thakurs and his feudal tone and tenor is going to do maximum damage to his own party. Resentment against the BJP is so deep in the rural areas that even the Congress seems to have recovered some of its lost ground.

RAJ BAHADUR YADAV DEHATI, Rewari

Guruji ki jai Apropos of the news item “Math guru arrested...” (Nov 5) it has become today’s fashion to become a disciple of one or the other self-styled guru. It is not understood why even educated people, specially women, fall prey to their pranks. It has become purely business to encash Indian spiritual mentality. What was surprising in this news item was that women felt it pious to offer their bodies to the guru of their grand father’s age. Would the woman, who offered her daughter-in-law to the guru, have done the same if the guru had demanded her daughter? Kudos to the girl who didn’t yielded to the pressure and chose divorce over the filthy demand of the lusty guru. Dr PAWAN DVIWEDI, Sujanpur

Not communal

Mr M.G. Devasahayam is, indeed a renowned intellectual, but somehow it seems that his bias against the BJP and the RSS overshadows his basic intellect and this sad fact is quite evident from his write-up "How JP movement helped BJP” (Oct 29). He has used two terms — "Non-secular Janasangh” and “rabidly communal RSS", and this exposes his total ignorance about the Janasangh and the RSS because neither the Janasangh, which means the BJP, is non-secular nor the RSS is rabidly or in any other way communal.

Actually, these two out and out nationalist organisations are not against any Indian which ever faith or religion he or she follows. Their only concern is that each and every Indian, without exception, should be a staunch nationalist and patriot and for this neither the Janasangh nor the BJP can be termed non-secular or the RSS can be termed communal.

Mr Devasahayam is also wrong about the Ram Janmabhoomi movement. This movement is neither a religious nor a political issue as has been made out by "secular" politicians and pseudo-intellectuals. This issue, in fact, is directly connected to the national honour and self-respect. Mr Devsahayam is humbly requested to have an indepth first-hand knowledge about the nationalistic philosophy preached and practised by the RSS and the BJP before expressing his biased opinion against these organisations.

A. K. SHARMA, Chandigarh

Hindutva agenda: Mr M.G. Devasahayam's write-up was educative and interesting. The author has made an indepth study of the BJP's machinations and its eagerness to implement the Hindutva agenda. His views that the Ayodhya card has reduced the tolerant Hindu religion to pretty politicking, fractured the body-politic and is severely threatening the secular fabric so painstakingly woven by the first generation leaders of India are correct.

Its Ayodhya card and Hindutva agenda would certainly give a fundamentalistic tinge, which would be a threat to our composite culture and we have become intolerant of others. Two years ago Ashwani Bhatnagar in one of his articles had rightly stated that it is not a mere chance that telecast of TV serials based on the Ramayana and Mahabharata coincided with the upsurge of Hindu nationalism in India. It appears that mythological serials like Jai Vir Hanuman, Om Namaha Shivai, a serial on Lord Ganesha and many others are quite antagonistic to the modern scientific outlook and the electronic media is becoming captive of pro-Hindutva elements. The BJP leaders and ministers through their actions and speeches have been trying to implement the Hindutva agenda by hook or crook.

Can't the Prime Minister, who is considered to be tolerant and secular, persuade the Sangh Parivar leadership to shun fundamentalism for the development of the country?

PREM SINGH, Mohali