Afghanistan today
The case of Afghanistan poses special challenges to progressive and democratic forces all over the world, since a foreign military presence there was always akin to an imperialistic occupation while the Taliban’s takeover cannot be seen as a harbinger of justice and liberation for the people, particularly women and the minorities. It is for the United Nations to develop through detailed consensus, a policy for legal and legitimate international interventions in the country, whether through targeted sanctions or through peace-keeping military means, in all such cases where internal strife leads to unacceptable violations of human rights.
Firoz Ahmad,
New Delhi
Harping on the colossal failure of the U.S. strategy serves no good as far as the U.S. is concerned or in the sorry state of affairs of Afghanistan. In the wake of the Taliban capturing Kabul, the lives of civilians are in jeopardy. Pro-Afghan countries like China and Russia have to be at their persuasive best to convince Taliban leaders to allay the fears of poor citizens and also offer help to Afghanistan to put its economy back on the rails.
Rajamani Chelladurai,
Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu
Siblings on the warpath
Former Union Minister and Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad does face a tough test as his cup of woes is now full to the brim (Page 1, “Lalu faces tough test as sons tussle over RJD leadership”, August 22). Unfortunately for Mr. Prasad, he no longer has leaders of the calibre of Raghuvansh Prasad Singh to counsel him. That Tejaswi Prasad having ensured that the RJD retains its pre-eminent status in Bihar does have an edge cannot be brushed aside. It remains to be seen whether Tej Pratap Yadav can muster enough support to rock the boat or have his rebellion turn out to be a storm in a teacup.
C.V. Aravind,
Bengaluru
Get behind the politics
One must get behind the political motive pushing the idea of a “Partition Horrors remembrance day”. What are the real motives of those who are floating the big idea? The Uttar Pradesh elections are fast approaching and the ruling party is badly in need of emotive, evocative issues to deflect attention from horrific blunders in handling the second wave of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Though as an electoral strategy it may pay dividends, it is a communally loaded mantra fraught with the dangers of further communal polarisation. One must not forget that there were horrors on both sides.
And why not also remember the horrors following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948? Is it not fair that this ‘horror day’ is remembered too to bring solace to the victims? It is a pity that the lust for political power at any cost has driven leaders of political parties to turn blind to the dangerous consequences of their politics of hate.
M. Jameel Ahmed,
Mysuru
The hospital case
This might be of interest to readers in the context of ‘Madras Week’. On December 4, 1933, a parent along with his brother took his infant son to the Government Hospital for Women and Children, Egmore, Madras, for treatment. The child was just two or three days old. On December 11, the nurse in charge of the children’s ward told the man that the child was cured, but before taking the child away, the father was advised to buy a piece of apparatus. The father and his brother came back to the hospital the same day to fetch the child. But they were informed that the child had been taken away by someone else. The father reported the matter to the police, but they were unable to find the child. Based on these facts, it was alleged that the loss of the child was due to the negligence of the “hospital authorities”. This became the basis of the case, Etti vs The Secretary of State (1939) 1 MLJ 784, where the Madras High Court took up the question of vicarious liability of hospitals maintained out of public revenues, perhaps, for the first time in India.
Dr. K. Mathiharan,
Madurai
‘Visit Hampi’
Vice-President M. Venkaiah Naidu’s word of advice (August 22) is apt. Elders must tell children about the wonders of our monuments. In turn, they must know the depth of India’s wonderful culture and heritage.
J. Eden Alexander,
Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu
