— Sawraj Singh

Ellensburg, Washington

BCCI, hit wicket

• The BCCI handled the Harbhajan Singh issue very badly on two occasions. First, during the Sydney Test, BCCI should have taken a stand that either the Test be awarded to India or it be declared a draw. Second, Bhajji was cleared of the racism charge yet he was fined substantially. Now, what was the charge against Bhajji? If anybody, it was Symonds who was in the wrong. He is (officially) said to have provoked Harbhajan into mouthing that swear word (or rather swear phrase), whereas the alleged racism remark by Harbhajan was never proved. Then why was Harbhajan punished while the real culprit went scot free? The BCCI should have put its foot down. Sharad Pawar has been soft on the issue, his eyes set on the ICC chair.

— Phiroz Bulsara

Mumbai

Mumbai entropy

•In the past few days cosmopolitan Mumbai has witnessed ugly parochialism. Political mobs loyal to MNS chief Raj Thackeray targeted north Indians on the streets, taxi drivers were attacked and their taxis burnt, passengers on trains were roughed up and even Amitabh Bachchan’s residence came under attack, only because the victims hail from north India.

The question arises, are north Indians still outsiders in Mumbai? The situation is grim and heart-rending. It is really disappointing with the law enforcement agencies remaining mute spectators. It is the duty of the government to protect each and every citizen of the country who is staying in Mumbai irrespective of his native state. Mumbai has always been a cosmopolitan city but this reputation is being shattered. One can conclude that since Raj Thackeray’s MNS has not been politically successful in the state, the party is trying to capture the Marathi chauvinism agenda and trying to win some support among the urban youth.

... contd.