Every political party has had great leaders. All parties were founded on ideologies that aimed at the uplift of the poor and the marginalised — rightly called the “wretched of the earth” by Kanwal Bharti in the article “In the name of socialism”(Sept. 21) — belonging to different castes and classes. But, nowadays, no party follows the principles on the basis of which it was started. All parties use their founders and eminent leaders for advertisement and propaganda.
Hemant Mane,
Rahuri
The abysmal state Uttar Pradesh finds itself in is not because of the ‘upper’ castes or any other caste but because of people who misuse their political position, and encourage money and muscle power. And these people draw their power from the blind support of the locals cutting across castes who want to promote their interests using people in power. It is the greed and short-sightedness of people that are to blame.
Ravish Kumar Jha,
New Delhi
