Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Meaningless rhetoric

Sir, — The intellectual endeavour on the part of the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, to redefine `Hindutva' does not appear to be founded on a coherent and balanced view. It betrays a distorted image of Indian realities and real `Indianness' and is a rediscovery of Indianness to suit the political ideology of the BJP.

According to the dictum propounded by the Prime Minister, the BJP can be renamed as `Hindutva Janata Party'. However, he has very ingeniously avoided revealing the final goal of the `Hindutva' ideology. These are all meaningless rhetorical exercises to camouflage the party's real agenda.

V.K. Sathyavan,
Kottayam, Kerala

* * *

Sir, — The Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, has clarified that the term `Hindutva' be construed as `Bharatiyata'. Of course, the latter term opens its doors to non-Hindu Indians too. I beg to improve upon this redefinition. What is required is neither `Hindutva' nor `Bharatiyata' but unalloyed internationalism.

Every Indian should strive to be cosmopolitan in outlook, rational in behaviour and be guided by human values. He can practise his religion in private.

P.V. Divakaran,
Avittathur, Kerala

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Opinion

News: Front Page | National | Southern States | Other States | International | Opinion | Business | Sport | Miscellaneous |
Advts: Classifieds | Employment | Obituary |

Stories in this Section

• End of a prolonged wrangle
• All for English
• A relationship at odds
• Who decides educational policies?
• Is India losing the Gulf to China?
• Don't support U.S.
• Meaningless rhetoric
• Futile exercise
• Desilting will help
• Gandhi in Madras

Copyright © 2003, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu