The response to the bomb blasts in Boston and Bangalore has indeed exposed the wide gap in how the U.S. and India deal with disasters (“Time to close ranks,” April 19). It was evident that the people and government agencies coordinated well in Boston whereas in Bangalore, it was chaos as usual. The same was the case in Hyderabad and elsewhere in India. The emergency response in the U.S. instils confidence in the general public. The American authorities have zeroed in on the suspects while we are still searching for clues. One hopes India will learn a lesson or two from the American disaster management ways. As a first step, politicians should stop blaming one another.
V. Devadas,
Kannur
We should learn to view India as one, forgetting political affiliations and State boundaries. It is important to plan ways of combating terrorism. It is equally important to educate people on how to be alert and inform the authorities concerned about any suspicious activity or objects.
C. Shankar,
Bangalore
It is hard to imagine that our politicians can calculate their profit and loss from an incident as tragic as a bomb blast. We know Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmad's mind because he tweeted that the terror attack would benefit the BJP in the elections. One wonders how many others are thinking along the same lines.
Sherin Anna,
New Delhi
Granted, Mr. Ahmad’s tweet was utterly thoughtless and tactless, bordering on the preposterous. But what he tweeted could turn out to be true. The BJP could benefit from the incident as there could be a sympathy wave, however mild. The editorial is right in suggesting that the BJP has well-meaning friends like Mr. Ahmad in the Congress camp.
Col C.V. Venugopalan (retd.),
Palakkad
That Indian politicians politicise terror attacks is well known. There are a few ‘musts’ that follow a terror attack — blame game, irresponsible statements, and speculation on the people and causes involved. We also crowd the place of the attack, removing vital clues. We must learn a lot from the U.S. and the U.K. — their political parties and leaders.
G.M. Rama Rao,
Visakhapatnam
JPC report
The leak of the JPC draft report on the 2G scam has opened the door for the opposition parties to raise a hue and cry. This is not the first time a confidential report has been leaked before its submission.
The 2G scam is a complex matter and nothing can be assumed till the final report is submitted.
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
The draft report says the then Telecom Minister misled the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. But the fact that they were not informed of the changes in the policy does not absolve them of responsibility. It is clear that they did not monitor the spectrum allocation and A. Raja took everything in his own hands and finalised the 2G auctions.
C.K. Subramaniam,
Mumbai
