Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

The silent majority

Sir, — I endorse Harish Khare's comment in his article `Why are we silent?' (Feb. 18) that Indians by nature are passive and refuse to stir up unless the political parties wake them with allurement. I recollect June 1975, when Indira Gandhi imposed the Emergency, I was holidaying in Mussoorie and was so apprehensive about the public reaction. Nothing happened, not even a subdued demonstration. I remember that in the mid-70s, the only issue which woke the people up was mass conversions to Islam in Meenakshipuram in Tamil Nadu. Even this topic now refused shake up the people. Massive demonstrations take place abroad against multinationals, globalisation of the economy, WTO et al, no such protests take place anywhere in India, though we are the worst affected by the WTO and its principles. Are we so preoccupied with our daily chores that nothing moves us to the streets.

K. Mohan,
New Delhi

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