B. Rathnakar Rai
866, 1st Stage Indiranagar, Bangalore-560 038
The unexpected acclaim for Atal Behari Vajpayee's initiative in taking a bus ride to Pakistan, the poor response in UP to the visit by the Congress President, and now the summoning of Quattrocchi to appear in court have incensed Soniaji into saying enough is enough! She had to toll the knell for the BJP Government by suddenly coming in defence of the Rabri Government in Bihar in a change of face, which must have surprised even her more mature partymen.

The Testament confusion
Bimalendu Ghosh
P-154, Parnasree Pally, Calcutta-800 060
It has been stated in the article "Meaningful Dialogue" (Organiser, 17-1-99) that the I.P. Mission School at Rajkot in Gujarat distributed copies of the Old Testament to its students. But, there is no Jesus Christ in the Old Testament and, so far as I know, the Christian missionaries are concerned only with the New Testament.

Still colonial
V.P. Jain
22E, Sector IV, DIZ Area, New Delhi-110 001
An article like "A warped Indian Media?" by Francois Gautier, (Organiser, 14-2-99) is hard to find in the English print media even once in a decade. We have been slaves for centuries for want of intelligence and honesty, not to speak of integrity. The English print media is no exception. It is highly biased. Most of the people subscribe to English newspapers out of a false sense of style, although they have little knowledge of English. Hardly one per cent of them go through the editorials. The English print media nurse the illusion that it is the creator of public opinion. A discerning reader has a very poor opinion of the English newspapers.

President on Bihar
A.B. Kelkar
Block No. D-16, Jaypee Nagar-486 450
This refers to Ashok Kumar's, "Governance returns to Bihar", (Organiser, 21-2-99). Shri Pramod Mahajan reportedly said that the State had witnessed on an average 5,000 murders, 3,000 dacoities, 1,000 rapes, and 2,500 kidnappings, per year. If these figures are correct, it is surprising that Central Government's proposal to impose President's rule in Bihar, sent in September, was not accepted by President K.R. Narayanan. If he doubted the correctness of these figures, he should have stated so frankly. What are his norms to decide whether President's rule should be imposed in any State?

Congress doublespeak
Adv Jyotika Kalra
Ch. No. 405, Western Wing
Tis Hazari Courts, Delhi-110 054
After repeated massacres of dalits in Bihar, Congress took a stand that Bihar Government had no moral right to govern. But the Congress changed its stand and decided to vote against "President's rule in Bihar". The reason forwarded by this party was that "it is in fact the RSS that is ruling over Bihar, and not the President". This is devoid of any rationale. The Congress has been claiming to be the best secular party. With its double-standard the credibility of Congress is lost.

Physician heal thyself
V. Padmanabhan Nair
Poornima, Santhi Nagar, Ayyanthole Thrissur-680 003
Exploiting the loopholes in the Constitution and illiteracy and poverty of the tribals, Christian missionaries, not the laity, are engaged in mass conversion, which is the root-cause of communal tension. So, it is high time Government of India took effective action to contain the activities of the missionaries. Missionaries also must understand that to be a good Christian one need not change one's faith, instead practise what Christ had said, in real life. Christians themselves are not following the teachings of Jesus. So let the missionaries correct such Christians first and then preach the gosples.

Sonia, the Savior G. Indira
Plot No. 272 Gautam Nagar, Malkajgiri Hyderabad-47
The much-needed solace and oxygen for the Congress party is the brand name of Gandhi. Assorted Gandhis have been ruling the Congress whicheded solace and oxygen for the Congress party is the brand name of Gandhi. Assorted Gandhis have been ruling the Coeded solace eded solace and oxygen for the Congress party is the brand name of Gandhi. Assorted Gandhis have been ruling the Congress whicheded solace and oxygen for the Congress party is the brand name of Gandhi. Assorted Gandhis have been ruling the Ceded solace eded solace and oxygen for the Congress party is the brand name of Gandhi. Assorted Gandhis have been ruling the Congress whichvotes.

Secular silence
Anand Prakash
72/Sector-8, Panchkula-134 109
Without bothering to ascertain the facts, pseudo-secular parties, the English press and the private TV channels are busy condemning BJP, VHP, RSS and Bajrang Dal on the issue of conversions and attacks on Christian missionaries. For petty political gain they have sullied the image of the country. In 1947, Gandhiji behaved in exactly the same manner. As Muslims had started killing Hindus and Sikhs in Pakistan in large numbers, there was bound to be some reaction in India. Gandhiji never denounced Muslims, but started condemning Hindus and Sikhs all the more loudly. One more point is also worth noting. Maulana Azad and Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan never denounced Muslims, and both of them are highly respected secular Muslims. This exposes the secularism of the liberal Muslim leaders, who remained with Congress only to look after the interests of their own community.

Ignorance is power!
Rajinder Shukla
C-2, Adarsh Nagar P.O. Dhori, Bokaro-825 102
Little knowledge is dangerous. It is true with some English journalists, who come straight from some denominational institute and labour under the illusion that they know everything under the sky. In the same tune, one of these Macaulayites surpassed all limits of decency and journalistic ethics while delivering sermons to the Sangh. They are ignorant of the Vidya Bharati (now Akhil Bharatiya Sikhshan Sansthan) spreading education in remote villages and inaccessible dwellings. As a result, a particular community's missionaries, having a virtual monopoly of the so-called welfare services, are feeling panicked and blaming Hindu volunteers by raising a hue and cry. Vidya Bharati has a network of sanskar kendras (free primary schools) for deprived and downtrodden children, whose parents have no means or understanding to put their children in regular schools.

Defending the indefensible
Vishnu Vishwanath Phatak
Muzumdar Wada, Vadodara-390 001
Syed Shahabuddin's letter (Organiser, 7-2-99) is good defence of Islam and Muslim Indians with a new discovery that calls for close examination. When did India become "Land of Concord, Land of Peace"? Was it not so before the advent of the first Mohammedan in this country? Did Sir Syed Ahmed not torpedo Hindu-Muslim unity achieved in the 1857 uprising. Why did the Muslim League resort to a bloodbath by its most infamous "Direct Action Plan" from 16-8-1946 to massacre Hindus by any means to achieve Pakistan? What does the name Muslim India, the magazine he edits, mean? Is it not a synonym of Pakistan.

Dalit politics Anil Kumar
Hubli-580 020
Please publish articles about present dalit politics, its casteist approach, its anti-Hindu campaign and anti-Sangh tirade. After all Kanshiram has suffered a severe setback in the four State Assembly elections.