On the other hand, reopening a road like the Stilwell or Ledo Road without integrating the Northeast with the country may be dangerous. India must endeavour to put the region firmly on its national map first, before opening it up to its neighbours.

— Raghu Seshadri

Chennai

Emergency legacy

• The genesis of the Emergency was Indira Gandhi’s intention to circumvent the Allahabad high court judgment against her (‘Remembering Emergency...’, IE, June 26). But what she unleashed nearly destroyed Indian democracy and the Constitution. Her defeat in 1977 was fortunate for the country as it effectively precluded a recurrence of the Emergency. But the Janata government predictably bungled and again it was fortunate that Gandhi returned. In retrospect, the Emergency also paved the way for coalition governments at the Centre, which would however take hold only after another single-party landslide in 1984.

— M.K.D. Prasada Rao

Ghaziabad

Debating the veil

• This refers to ‘Don’t ban it, question it’ (IE, June 30). French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s description of burqa-clad women as “prisoners behind a screen” was tactless. It’s hypocritical to revere the veil or headscarf worn by Catholic nuns and revile the one Muslim women wear. The burqa is a symbol of empowerment. Nevertheless, there’s no categorical mention of the hijab in the Quran. Javed Anand is right that the Quran only commands people to be modest in their attire. It’s discretionary and not compulsory, and despite Anand’s claims, it does protect women.

— Mohd Y. Ansari

Meerut

• Javed Anand is right in asking for the “epistemological hijab” to be shed; that is, for the clergy to open its mind and return to the original scripture. Immigrants in the West angry with the ban should start an international debate in favour of the burqa. With sizeable Muslim populations, Western nations should proceed with caution. However, genuine individual choice should be respected, not someone else’s construing of individual choice.

— John Alexander

Nagpur