Rising intolerance

The Sunday Story on Yannick Nihangaza, the student from Burundi who is in a coma after being beaten up in Jalandhar in April, and the culture of intolerance in leading Indian cities proves that under the thin veneer of modernity and civility, there lurks in our students a sense of hatred for foreigners, especially those from the less endowed countries. We are as guilty of hate crimes as some in the western countries against foreigners. Universities and colleges should ensure that educational institutions do not become fertile grounds for breeding racism, intolerance and violence.

A. Michael Dhanaraj,

Coimbatore

It was painful to read about Yannick who came all the way from Burundi to pursue higher studies here but ended up in a hospital. It is unfortunate that his university left him in the lurch. Had the institution taken care to provide him decent accommodation and the food of his choice, he would not have stayed outside the campus and got into trouble.

R. Thirumalai Muthu,

Kallidaikurichi

The root cause of increasing violence among students is not necessarily race, religion or ethnicity. It is the lack of adaptability to the new environment. Many foreigners, mostly Africans, study and work in Pune. Some of them lived in my village some time ago. Children with colourful dresses, curly hair, and multiple hair-locks looked very interesting to us. My father invited them for a function at home. We were all eager to meet them and take photographs with them. They did not come, that day or any other day.

B. Yadav Ramprakash,

Chennai