It is a pity that an incident that took place 200 years ago is bringing an entire State to a standstill today (“Maharashtra shut down as Dalits and Marathas join forces”, Jan. 4). It is a sad reality that different political parties in India that have supported the protests have done so for electoral benefits. But how is all this going to affect us in the long run? Governments are meant to eradicate all kinds of discrimination, not fuel them. History should be interpreted in a manner that brings harmony instead of creating further rifts among communities.
Gagan Pratap Singh,
Noida
Some see the Maharashtra violence through the prism of caste marginalisation, some see it as a response to the rise in Hindutva. The fact is that there is a lot of insecurity among the dominant communities in India as those “lower” than them are becoming economically empowered and are better represented in politics than before, which is a product of the efforts of previous governments. This is why we are seeing the Marathas, Jats, and Patels demand reservation and OBC status. Where this is all going to lead us is the worrying question.
Shreyansh Jain,
Chandigarh
This a grim reminder that there continues to be widespread polarisation along casteist lines. It is beyond one’s comprehension how a country that has advanced by leaps and bounds in the economic and technological fields since Independence has remained at a primitive stage as far as caste is concerned. Such developments could do irretrievable damage to the concept of an integrated India in the long run.
Unable to defeat the BJP in various elections, Opposition parties are trying to exploit every available opportunity to gain political mileage. The Congress party’s appeasement of Hardik Patel in Gujarat and the National Congress Party’s readiness to join hands with Dalit groups in Maharashtra are examples of opportunistic politics. The BJP should also rein in some elements within its fold. The Prime Minister was voted to power based on his promise of development. Allowing fringe elements to hijack the party and take it along a different route would prove to be disastrous for the party and the country.
V. Subramanian,
Chennai
