Valley of disquiet
More than two years since restrictions were imposed in Jammu and Kashmir, the aim of restoring peace has not met with success (“Curfews, Internet curbs a ‘bitter pill’ to save Kashmiri lives: Shah”, October 24). Civilian killings have complicated the issue. Terrorists never want peace; their intention is to create fear. By imposing restrictions for longer periods, what kind of signals are we sending? The Home Minister’s approach is laudable but he should also consider talking with families that have been demanding lifting of the curfew. Visits, meetings and discussions should be more frequent to gain the trust of the people of the Valley.
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
Terrorism has not been wiped out and there is no democratically elected government yet in J&K. Curfews and Internet curbs continue. Ahead of the Home Minister’s visit, about 700 people were detained. How long can the administration be run with the help of security forces and by enforcing restrictions without taking local people and leaders into confidence?
D. Sethuraman,
Chennai
The targeted killings of minorities and migrant workers by terrorist groups in the Valley have pushed the besieged territory into new heights of despair. These incidents have the potential to deepen the communal divide and create conditions for an exodus. After every incident, the government announces that it has dealt firmly with the terrorists and will continue to do so. Notwithstanding these security operations, the way to check this alarming situation is by restoring the statehood of J&K, resuming political dialogue with mainstream parties and giving freedom to the press.
S.K. Khosla,
Chandigarh
The Home Minister indicted three families for the state of affairs in J&K. He seems to have forgotten that the BJP joined hands with one of them to form the government.
D eepak Singhal,
Noida
I ncrease vaccination
This is a time to plan and introspect, not celebrate (“Gap between first, second doses is the starkest in India”, Oct. 24). The one lesson that India does not seem to have learned from the recent past is that it cannot afford to celebrate or that even if it does, it needs to do so with some caution. And while celebrating, the government is also wrongly claiming that the vaccine was made available free for everyone. The fact is that many had to pay for the vaccine.
M. Jameel Ahmed,
Mysuru
With cases rising in other countries and more variants of the virus emerging, India cannot afford to let its guard down. The latest report proves that there are still a few issues to address. Some people are under the illusion that they are fully protected after taking one dose. Periodical reminders need to be sent on the need to take the second dose. When the pandemic was at its peak, health workers went door to door to trace cases. However, once the cases dropped, this stopped. While this practice is hard to sustain, it is important to renew this for a while so that these workers can persuade those who are unvaccinated to get their doses. Information provided by them would also help authorities identify areas where more attention is required in terms of vaccination coverage.
V. Subramanian,
Chennai
