— John Jacobs

Kuala Lumpur

• India is succumbing to terror on two counts: first, the unwilllingness of our policy-makers to make a distinction between an undeclared war and a law and order problem. The public pronouncements of “inquiry” into such attacks by the prime minister or home minister gives the impression that the aggressor could be prosecuted and punished like a common criminal. The second factor responsible for our suffering is our misplaced ideal of peace and harmony. It is time to send a strong message to the aggressors that Indians can strike back to protect these ideals.

— Amit Pradhan

Baroda

• The Mumbai/Bombay agitation seems frivolous when seen against the backdrop of Jaipur. As long as Indians remain internally weak, terror will strike at will. We need to garner all our resources to stop these cowardly acts, keeping aside the rhetoric of parochialism. It is also time the Centre stopped its empty lecturing and ordered the police and the military to go after terrorist outfits without fearing the consequences. If terror begets terror, so be it. At least, this one-way terrorism will end.

— Roda D. Hakim

Baroda