Ms. Malini Parthasarathy has succinctly traced the background of the Masjid-Mandir dispute (“Respecting our multicultural heritage”, Editorial page, Oct. 4). One must definitely agree with her view that the demolition of the masjid is a criminal act. We have come a long way since 1992. Rising prices of essential commodities, farmer suicides and recurring acts of terrorism frighten one and all. People have realised that religious sentiments are out of place in today's context.
R. Narasimhan,
Chennai
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Ms. Parthasarathy has largely attributed the success of peace, in the aftermath of the Ayodhya verdict, to our diverse cultural heritage. Violence did not occur due to foolproof security measures. It is a fact that the police established contacts at the grass-roots level appealing for peace and calm. Of course cultural dimensions and democratic factors were germane to the vigil paying off. But the point is that good relations between law enforcing agencies and the people are crucial in averting violence.
S. Mukharji,
Noida
