Kashmir

In your cover story (The Dayafter Nov. 1-15) you have praised Omar Abdullah for not staking a claim to form a government even though the National Conference came in as the single largest winner. I feel Sonia Gandhi, President of the Congress Party, is deserving of equal praise for cutting short the undignified dispute between her party and the PDP on who would be the Chief Minister. By acceding to the Mufti’s claims, she has proved that she at least, if not her party men, put the national interest over party posturing. She has been at the receiving end of invective from many opposition leaders. They could take a lesson from her on dignity.

Megh Ram Pareek
Etawah

Street Politics

It is, indeed, a sad indication of the depths to which our political parties have sunk that all of them have no hesitation in taking to the streets whenever they feel they have been slighted by the ruling party or their requests have been denied. Their causes may be justified, but their means of achieving them are more suited to illiterate mobs than to institutions which always boast of their moral high ground.

It can be safely said that the crowds in such rallies consist exclusively of their cadres who have nothing better to do and not the ordinary citizens who want nothing more than to be allowed to go about their daily chores unobstructed.

Rishi Bhargava
Hisar

BJP

The article on the BJP (The Dayafter Nov 1-15) is correct when it says that the dissidence that it is facing in Uttar Pradesh is a minor issue compared to what happened in Jammu and Kashmir and what most people are expecting to happen in Gujarat when it goes to the polls next month.

Therefore, the Prime Minister cannot be faulted for avoiding to meet the dissidents in U. P. Of course, it would have been much more desirable if he had told the dissidents that he did not approve of their activity instead of using the excuse of a sore throat not to talk to them, as claimed in the article. Still, we must commend the fact that he preferred silence to denigrating the behaviour of his partymen. In a political environment full of abuse and personal attacks, the Prime Minister stands out as the gentleman that he is.

Abdul Khalil
Kanpur

Anti-Merger Rally

You have reported in detail (The DayAfter Nov 1-15) on the rally organised by the MPLF in Manipur slamming the merger of the State of Manipur with the Indian Union. The way in which the Indian National Flag was trampled and burnt by the rallyists has also been described. It is unbelievable that the Government of Manipur had no inkling of what happened at the rally. People have a right to protest against what they perceive as wrong actions by the Government or any other body; but nobody has the right to dishonour a country’s flag. If the State Government appears to be sympathising with the MPLF, the Government of India should take suitable action to see that such disgraceful incidents are not repeated. There are strict provisions in Indian law against abusing the national flag.