Growing atrocities against the minorities, Dalits in particular, only highlight increasing intra-religious tensions (“The charge of the cow brigade”, July 25). As the writer has said, the political Opposition has to stop looking at such incidents as stray ones and instead realise that there is a pattern to them. The rise of vigilante justice has to be curbed.
Shivam Dwivedi,Lucknow
Last year, the lynching in Dadri, Uttar Pradesh of a 50-year-old man for his alleged involvement in storing and consuming ‘beef’ brought to light a disturbing pattern of intolerance and polarisation in the country. Instead of following an egalitarian approach to handling the issue of banning cow slaughter, the right wing began invoking religious sentiments and channelling them into political propaganda. The brutal incident near Una in Gujarat involving four Dalit men only reinforces the need to prevent emotive religious matters from growing into larger acts of majoritarian lawlessness and violence. It is unfortunate that legislation on cow slaughter and protection is being misused by some fringe groups with impunity as a tool to harass and intimidate minorities. Our society is increasingly being coerced into conforming to an intolerant and hate-filled interpretation of faith. The issue of faith and its practices should be debated in a manner which is both politically correct and theologically permissible.
Shreyans Jain,New Delhi
It would appear that our democracy is under siege from vigilante groups who in turn are spreading terror in the name of protecting culture. The series of incidents involving atrocities against Dalits spring from a common source — cultural intolerance. It also makes one wonder why the Centre has done nothing for the well-being of the minorities. In his speech translated from Hindi at the Central Hall of Parliament on May 20, 2014, Mr. Modi had said: “A government is one which thinks about the poor, listens to the poor and which exists for the poor….” In the wake of growing atrocities, how true is this statement?
Sukumaran C.V.,Palakkad
