How nice it would have been if India and China had settled all their disputes. Together they can create magic. It is time the two countries talked to each other and made a genuine attempt to iron out the differences (‘The dragon-tiger tango’, July 21).
The boundary question cannot be settled overnight. But once that is done, neither China nor India should raise it up. It should be done and dusted. India’s and China’s strategic goals are somewhat similar. There should be newer areas of cooperation that both countries can together work on. India and China should stop looking at each other with suspicion.
Ranjan Kumar,
On email.
Almost all countries accuse China of bullying and they don’t trust China. This is more so after the pandemic, which many say originated in China. China has border and maritime disputes with almost all its neighbours. As long as Xi Jinping continues to be the president, I smell danger.
Having said that, the people of China desire close ties with India. They want to visit India more often. There is so much in China that we Indians want to see. Cultural and economic relations between India and China date back to ancient times. So there is a huge potential for cooperation across different sectors.
Tapasya Pal,
On email.
We all have a few neighbours who poke their nose into our business. India also has one—China. By land area, China is one of the largest countries in the world. It has already peaked as an economic power. Surprisingly, it wants more.
I have failed to decipher the logic behind China trying to reinforce its dominance as a global superpower again and again, and enhancing its power.
China, from here on, cannot stop its decline. Soon, China may face a Soviet Union-style implosion.
Geetika Narayanswamy,
On email.
I agree with Lieutenant General (Retd) S.L. Narasimhan that China is somewhat ahead of India in military might, but India will bridge that gap soon. China these days is concerned about the quick modernisation of India’s armed forces. If there is war between India and China at the moment, it will result in a draw. China will think twice before engaging in any misadventure with ‘new India’. Narendra Modi is known to give it back in style. China paid a very heavy price for its Galwan misadventure. They know well that this is not the India of 1962.
Govind Kishore,
On email.
Need strict rules
The Hathras tragedy is a reminder of disasters in large gatherings and raises serious questions about safety measures and crowd control. Despite repeated incidents of such nature, there are no lessons learnt (‘Heap of faith’, July 21).
India’s large population, and the cultural and religious practices that draw huge crowds, make effective crowd management a difficult task. To thwart such tragedies, the government must enforce stringent regulations for organisers, like compulsory risk assessments, proper infrastructure, and sufficient emergency services. The organisers should get the no-objection certificate after fulfilling these criteria.
Authorities and organisers must be held responsible for lack of safety measures. Penalties for failure to act in accordance with safety norms can ensure better compliance.
Sanjay Chopra,
Mohali, Punjab.
Your report is a reminder to the Indian population about its growing blind faith in self-styled preachers. The Hathras tragedy could have been averted if proper security arrangements and crowd control mechanisms were in place. The apathy to lost lives and the alarming rise in cases of stampedes in such venues indicate the lax attitude of civic bodies entrusted with maintenance of law and order.
I feel the only reason for the blind faith of people in the growing herd of preachers is the loss of faith in the government and the system.
Tanmay Mehta,
On email.
Roy’s problems
Your article on Arundhati Roy was interesting (‘The passion of the scribe’, July 21). Even though she is a great writer, I don’t like Roy. She has the right to criticise any action of the government, but she has no business to use that right to disseminate lies about India and thereby give an avoidable benefit to an enemy nation. Roy is selective in her so-called fight for human rights. And this is totally unacceptable.
Radhika Iyer,
On email.
I have no problems in Roy being a Narendra Modi hater, Amit Shah hater or a Hindu hater, but she cannot be an India hater. India is her motherland and she should love India.
Modern India is one of the most diverse countries in the world. Like it or not, India has transformed big time in the last decade. And she will soon be the third largest economy in the world.
Sriparna Batra,
On email.
No doubt, Roy’s debut novel, The God of Small Things, was a noteworthy one. It will continue to be a popular one for a long time to come. I would rather ascribe its success to the adage that everyone has a book inside them. Every author puts his heart and soul on the first work. It’s usually based on one’s own life experiences. The gestational period is a considerable one. After the first one is a success, the challenge lies in the subsequent work.
The sad fact is that in order to stay in the news, Roy began to take loonier stand on the Narmada project, the Kashmir issue, the trial of Afzal Guru and the Maoist insurgency.
How I wish, Roy—like many of her fans including Anjuly Mathai had strongly wished for—had simply basked in her first novel’s laurels and stopped making political comments in order to stay in the limelight.
Jothindra P.L.,
On email.