•India is slowly evolving into a plural society, where people of various religions and castes learn to live as equals with appreciation of each other’s conflicting beliefs. This development is very vital for the world. The role of Indian Muslims in this solution is crucial. A plural society implies maximum freedom of expression. The only limit is that it should not cause physical harm to others. This limit itself is difficult to define. For what may be food for one, may be poison for another. Yet a mature society can certainly set standards that should be maintained. We have to respect the rights of others, even when such an exercise may pain us.

For example, I feel offended by certain writings of Salman Rushdie and Tasleema Nasreen. Yet I cannot stop third parties from reading their books or socialising with them. Similarly, Dr Zakir Naik’s praise for Yazid, the killer of Imam Husain, disturbed me. Yet he has a right to his views, and I respect it.

A democratic plural society is ultimately the best guarantee that Muslims will live in dignity, enjoying equality and justice in India. Further, it will be a beacon of hope for Muslims all over the world.

— J.S. Bandukwala

Vadodara

New game theory

•Harsha Bhogle’s article ‘The sport remains bigger than those that make pronouncements about it’ is outstanding, coming as it does in an environment here in Australia where every reporter is suggesting that Harbhajan Singh’s appeal was successful only because of pressure from the BCCI.

Australian cricket players will have to learn that opposing players will not continue to take their rude behaviour on the field. Also, they will have to learn that this is a new age in cricket, in which India generates most of revenue from the sport.

— Gopal Gupta

Melbourne

Organic community

•Your front page report,

‘Father donates son’s organs to set an example in the call of duty’ made for interesting reading. Eye donation is fairly popular but donating other organs is not. Once a person is dead, the vital organs of his body are of no use, but they can save the lives of many people who are suffering from terminal diseases. Organs such as kidney, liver and even heart can be transplanted. Organ donation after death should be popularised through campaign and offer of incentives to the (dead) donor’s family.

When vital organs are available for transplant, organ scams too would become a thing of the past. One must not forget that organ donation is a noble deed, and would it not be great that our organs would be of some use and functional even after we are gone?

— S.N. Kabra

Mumbai

Fed signals

•The second rate cut by the US Federal Reserve in less than a week is a clear admission that the US could be in a recession cycle. Already huge home loan defaults have eroded the capital of many large US banks. Though US banks do not admit it openly, credit card defaults are also a serious cause of concern.

All these should be taken as warning signals by the RBI, and it should take timely measures to tackle the effects of recession. Already all banks in India have taken long exposures in the home loan sector. Personal loans and consumer loans are freely given without ascertaining repaying capacity of the borrower. All prudent lending norms are overlooked. Our economy too is not immune to such cycles. But since we are a developing country, recession will affect us more. All economic activities are cyclical in nature, and economics and finance are science of probability and not certainty.

— Sudhir K. Bhave

Mumbai