The writer (“ >The ‘restrained riot’ of Atali ”, June 20) seems well adept at speculating and in concocting theories. Why does the local feud between two communities in Atali appear to be a Hindutva conspiracy to him? He implicitly maligns Hindus by trying to taint them as ruffians attempting to bulldoze the minorities; he also avoids mentioning the specific incidents which may have triggered the riots. Unfortunately, the attempt seems to be to feed minds with unsustainable generalisations. I also wonder why Gujarat 2002 has become the standard reference point for some to gauge communalism in India, despite the fact that there have been more deadly riots.
Are these proponents reading post-Independence history from 2002 onwards that they appear so oblivious to riots preceding 2002? It is an outcome of prejudices internalised due to a sustained anti-Hindutva campaign by scholars and the media.
Anoop Suri,
New Delhi
This is not for the first time that a community has been attacked in Haryana’s villages or towns. Earlier, in October 2014, a similar incident occurred in Hathin town of Palwa district, which borders Faridabad. At that time, the BJP government did not take action. In many thanas in Haryana, most police personnel belong to a dominant caste and harbour a communal mindset. It is no exaggeration to say that action is delayed so that substantial damage can be carried out. The most important point in all this is the pressing need for police reform.
Nasir Hussain,
Eluru, Andhra Pradesh
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