Partition and after

India’s “unity in diversity” and peaceful co-existence of multitudes of ethnicities after seven decades of freedom won from the British is a matter of pride. Many countries are amazed at our cohesive existence. In a country where more than 1.2 billion people live together, it is inevitable to witness some stray communal, violent incidents and crimes. This could happen in other democratic nations too. I think Mr. Gopalkrishna Gandhi need not be so pessimistic in portraying a dismal picture of our land and asking us to avoid a second Partition. The present situation does not merit such a line (“ The anniversary of a divide ”, June 16).

K. Jayanthi,

Chennai

The article kindles pondering. People living together for generations had to undergo separation and it was painful and tormenting. The cunning ploy of the British and the obduracy of Jinnah resulted in two nations. To the last, the Mahatma was against Partition but events superseded him. The carnage that followed was indescribably horrendous. I would like to clearly emphasise here that loyalty to the nation should come first. As a secular nation, with all our omissions and commissions, we are far better than Pakistan which is on the lines of a theocracy. In India, there is no doubt that it is the foremost duty of the ruling dispensation to ensure that there is no persecution and harassment in the name of anything endangering the secular credentials of our nation. It is also incumbent upon everyone to ensure that their thoughts and deeds are contributory and not questionable and detrimental towards the harmony, cohesiveness and cause of the nation.

R. Ramanathan,

Coimbatore