ROMANCE IN THE AIR

I quite agree with the view of the writer and journalist Khushwant Singh (Romance in the Air) in your August 16-31 issue that lovers are not left with any private place to go in Delhi. But politicians, goons and criminals have the freedom to go anywhere in this great metro. Why cannot the police and the law enforcement authorities in Delhi concentrate their drives against old merchants of hatred who use religion and politics to spread hatred, prejudice and unrest rather than young lovers who want to live, love and stay in peace.

Pyare Lal
Delhi

I would like to offer my congratulations on the story "Changing Mores" by Shraddha Maheshwari, on love,sex and morals of the younger generation. It is a timely and bold investigation into issues concerning young India, which constitutes almost 60 per cent population of the country. Will the ladies and gentlemen of the older generation, who seek to hold power over politics, religion and morals of the nation, please take note of the fact highlighted in this excellent investigatory report that "Love knows no boundaries, has no caste, colour or creed, it is above everything.' Some find spirituality in it whereras for others it is purely a physical act. But both kind of couples like to describe themselves as lovers, and ‘genuine’ ones at that. And I would like to add that why cannot we have temples of love like the Buddhist and Hindu monks built in Konarak, Khajuraho, Palitana, Ajanta and Ellora. Then we would not be shouting, killing and fighting one another over some of the places of worship which have actually become "temples of hatred".

Surjit Kaur
Chandigarh

BUSH ADMN’S BLIND EYE

How can the Bush Administration take upon itself policing the world and taking the world close to limited and regional wars all over the world from Kabul and Baghdad to Panmunjon, while ignoring Pakistan as the epicentre of all varieties of global terrorism and radical Islamic militants responsible for merchandising terror in India, China, Russia, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Phillipines, among other parts of the world. Whatever might be the limited or the invisible interests of the Bush Administration---oil, minerals, presence in Central and South Asia, and sale of weapons, the fact remains that it keeps a blind eye to Pakistan, which was the main springboard for terrorists responsible for the 9/11 outrage in New York and later attacks on US and Western citizens in other countries and Pakistan itself. The blind eye of Pentagon can be suicidal for the United States itself.

Peter D’Silva
Mumbai

LEGALISED MURDER

Preeti Singh in her report (To Hang or Not to Hang) in the August-I6-31 issue of Day After, has rightly focused on the need to abolish the death penalty in India, a country which believes in forgiveness and not in taking revenge. In the land which gave the world the message of Lord Mahavira, Buddha and Mahatama Gandhi on non-violence and sanctity of all forms of life, including the vegetation birds and animals, punishing human beings for crimes of passion or even the most grievous violations of law, with death penalty is nothing but legalises murder. Killing one person for the death of another makes the state do exactly what it is killing a person for. Why cannot the death sentence be stopped by a presidential ordinance immediately, before an appropriate law is passed abolishing the death penalty.

Kalpana Jain
Kanpur

WOUNDED TIGRESS

Your,Fish Bowl story on Mayawati, entitled THE TIGRESS TAMED, was almost prophetic about the fate of the Maya Raaj and Uttar Pradesh politics. Kudos to the Minister for Tourism and Culture for calling her bluff in the Taj Corridor matter and to the Uttar Pradesh and national BJP leaders for telling her that BJP was nobody’s fool and despite its patience, was experienced enough to know when enough was enough. She was firmly told that she should bridle her impudence and if her government fell she herslef would be to blame. She has been wounded and is licking her wounds. What would be her next is to be seen.

Mohan Sharma
Allahabad

TRUTH WILL TRIUMPH

I'm one of your regular readers. Your Magazine certainly stands apart in the crowd by its balanced coverage of news and views. I liked your story ' Militants Disillusioned’. It is a fact that Pakistan authorities are finding it hard to lure local Kashmiri militants in the name of religion and freedom. When militants realise the hidden- agenda, they stop to dance to their tunes. To play it safe, now they hire foreign mercenaries. And I am sure that they will be defeated in their latest effort too.

Manmath Sahu and Lipu
New Delhi

SAVE OUR CHILDREN

I have been reading your magazine for years. This indicates that I like the magazine a lot. But in the last issue I was really delighted to see a powerfull environmental topic, Pollution Kills Children.In the time when media mostly resorts to sensational news-items. I was astonished by the fact that 5,500 children die each day around the world from diseases caused by environmental pollution.

Children from the developing countries suffer the most. We had wrong ideas that those who work in crop fields, away from the city life are not affected by Environmental Pollution. But your story revealed that even children working in agricultural fields often come in contact with pesticides.

Today's children are the citizen of tomorrow. So their well-being is our primary concern. So we should be first of all be aware of the tragic consequences of eniromental pollution and put combined efforts to check it.

Niranjan Panigrahi
Orissa