Ethnic and religious violence and its memory hinder the process of smooth metamorphosis of society. K.S. Jacob's article “Transmitted social tensions & cycle of prejudice” (Nov. 2) inspires us to pursue a creative way forward by leaving the past behind and evolving a broad consensus on emotional integration. A bundle of contradictions that India is, its pluralistic tradition is long and multi-hued. The challenge is to make the religious systems compatible with our secular agenda. For this, we must not only draw upon our rich heritage of scientific enquiry and rational temperament but also suitably amend our collective ways of political life. We must vote with socio-economic considerations in mind rather than on the basis of community and caste.
V. Viswanath,
Kurnool
Prof. Jacob has lucidly highlighted the potential causes for the vicious cycle of violence. Besides educating the young, a few possible measures to prevent society from getting polluted through transmitted social tensions and dogmas could be cultivating more effective people-to-people relations transcending geographical boundaries; projecting the importance of inter-culture knowledge with the help of the mass media; and encouraging discussions in homes, schools and colleges to break the ice with a view to getting rid of prejudices, stereotypes, social categorisation and negative impression.
V. Subramanian,
Chidambaram
Communal massacres and terrorist attacks are adequate pointers to the hatred and vengeance driven into the minds of people on both sides of the divide. Politicians only stoke the embers of fire when they manoeuvre the gullible. It is time to abandon jingoism and religious bigotry.
Anil Kumar,
New Delhi
The article is an apt reminder to the nation to move beyond bigotry. Many of us fail to realise that a coin has two sides and ignore others' viewpoints. The intense bias and prejudice passed on from generation to generation do not allow us to enjoy even a cricket match between India and Pakistan. The match is almost viewed as a war.
The time has indeed come to move away from rigid doctrines — towards a true, multi-cultural, compassionate society.
Varad Seshadri,
Sunnyvale
An honest introspection would make us realise that we are all irrational in our attachment to our religion, nation, race, caste, mother-tongue, etc. A perceived threat to our religion or nation is sufficient to make some among us terrorists. But religion and nation are not real; they are only notions that exist in our minds. God did not draw boundaries on the earth; they were the creations of power-thirsty, self-serving rulers. Nor did god create any religion. Had he done so, there would have been only one universal religion. Man is a rational animal, and his patriotism should be based on a consensus for an organised social life.
S.P. Asokan,
Chennai
No doubt, India's Partition inflicted such a grievous injury on us that it continues to haunt us to this day. We succumbed to the cunning, heinous ploy of the British to divide and rule.
Religion, which is primarily meant to streamline our thoughts and deeds towards nobler objectives, has been hijacked by fanatics who profess and preach hatred and divisiveness. With an eye on the vote bank, the politician deepens the divide. Unless common people get rid of the undue influence of religion and exploitation, social harmony will remain a distant dream.
R. Ramanathan,
Coimbatore
I feel communal violence and pogroms are the result of political motivation rather than prejudice. Masterminded by politicians for retaining and gaining power in the elections. The Election Commission should play a definitive role to curb this. More stringent norms should be evolved to encourage clean, fair, honest, responsible and intellectual leaders to file nominations.
Online voting should be made an option to increase the voter turnout in the elections.
Krishna Chandra Maurya,
Noida
True, it was the cycle of prejudice and stereotype which separated us from our own people in 1947 in the form of Partition. The spirit of tolerance is indeed lacking .That is why we have not been able to achieve an egalitarian society. Thanks to unity, even the small can thrive, whereas by discord, even the greatest are destroyed.
Akriti Sharma,
Shimla
