• The BJP apparently has become a party wherein a few individuals call all the shots, based on their whims and hardline stance on all issues. The machinations of these few and their uncompromising vindictiveness are destroying the BJP. The question is: who is fooling whom? Are the top BJP leaders doing the fooling or being fooled? In any case, strife within the party bodes ill for India. The place of its parliamentary opposition is practically vacant, since the BJP has abdicated its responsibility to the country as the main opposition.

— Asheesh Shah New Delhi

Own goals

• Pratab Bhanu Mehta has hit the nail on the head by pointing out the causes of trouble within the BJP. The high command’s decision to expel its senior leader, Jaswant Singh can boomerang. The BJP finds itself in a situation where the top leadership is unorganised and, instead of cleaning up the post-electoral mess, it’s looking for scapegoats. It appears as though the party has given up on itself. It’s done itself and the country enough damage; it’s time the BJP top brass began sorting things out. But where will it begin? At the start of the chintan baithak, the party’s scored another own goal.

— S.K. Gupta Chandigarh

Judging Jinnah

• Jaswant Singh’s expulsion from the BJP is unfortunate. Why are we increasingly devaluing freedom of expression? Whatever Singh’s written should be accepted within the domain of opinion. Nor has he praised Jinnah without reason. Jinnah was an Indian and an intrinsic part of the freedom struggle. One can differ with his view, but nobody, no party can express judgment on an intellectual debate in terms of right and wrong.

... contd.