:: Letters to Editor

Two types of terrorism

Nov.03 : Sir, The Federal Bureau of Investigation has arrested David Coleman Headley for plotting terror attacks on behalf of the Pakistan-based Laskhar-e-Tayyaba (LeT). Pakistan is fighting the Taliban while the LeT chief and other members involved in Mumbai terror attacks are being shielded by the Pakistani administration. How is the US secretary of state Hillary Clinton then saying that the Pakistan government and its armed forces are moving in the right direction to eliminate terrorists? Is it that only those that threaten Pakistan and the US come under the US’ definition of terrorists?

M.C. Joshi

Mahanagar, Lucknow

Of healthcare and morality

Sir, The US Congress has unveiled a $894 billion healthcare bill. Healthcare is a basic human right and should be guided by basic moral values. It should not be controlled and determined by a government which does not believe in the innate value of human life. The primordial driving force behind healthcare is the transcendent dignity of human beings. Abortion, euthanasia, contraception, embryonic stem cell research, invitro fertilisation, and other procedures or technologies which are not mentioned in Obama’s Healthcare Bill but which attack or undermine the sanctity and dignity of life, are not healthcare and should not be covered using tax payers’ money.

Paul Kokoski

Hamilton, Ontario (Canada)

UPA govt must focus on prices

Sir, This is with reference to the editorial Inflation: Ball in govt’s court (October 30). The massive stimulus of the government did not flow into infrastructure. A large part of it went to stoke consumerism, further accelerated by the payouts of the Sixth Pay Commission. As a result, prices of food items have risen to record levels and there is no sign of a let up. If farmers were benefiting from this, it would be good for agriculture. But the runaway consumerism is most probably being exploited by middlemen and speculators. This explains the relentless price spiral. The focus now needs to shift from spending to savings. The government must address the price issue in full earnestness.

R. Narayanan

Kaushambi, Ghaziabad

ALL must reject GM vegetables

Sir, Vandana Shiva in the Age Debate (Bt food neither safe nor viable, October 22) has rightly said, "It would be the saddest day of our lives if the Centre approves the commercial cultivation of Bt brinjal". She also said, "In India there is no labelling regime for genetically-modified (GM) food, which will give consumers a choice to choose". Instead of debating the matter with the pro-Bt group, the anti-Bt group should educate consumers and make them reject Bt vegetables. If there are no consumers, farmers will automatically stop growing Bt vegetables.

M.S. Ramakrishnan

Via email

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Solve kashmir issue first

Sir, It is sad that the Kashmir issue has taken a backseat, while India and Pakistan talk about putting an end to terrorism. They must initiate arbitration for a resolution of the dispute concerning the Valley. It is well to remember that three wars between India and Pakistan have not brought a solution to the problem of Kashmir. Both the countries need to extend support to bilateral efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue.

K. Pradeep

Via email