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This is an archive article published on May 4, 2010
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Opinion Trip to Hisar

Only time will tell whether Rahul Gandhi’s unannounced visit to Mirchpur is a damage-control exercise or a warning to Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The Indian Express

May 4, 2010 11:01 PM IST First published on: May 4, 2010 at 11:01 PM IST

• Only time will tell whether Rahul Gandhi’s unannounced visit to Mirchpur is a damage-control exercise or a warning to Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The gradual political and economic empowerment of Dalits is provoking animus. But what’s clear is that caste rivalries are raging and the state government is not stirring to check them for political reasons. Hooda just cannot wash his hands of his constitutional responsibility by saying that any action against the extra-legal organisation like khap panchayats will precipitate the tension further. Hooda will have to ensue that there’s rule of law and law breakers are brought to justice.

— Tarsem Singh

New Delhi

It’s about UP

• Let us not draw any hasty conclusion on Rahul Gandhi’s sudden visit to the Dalit victims’ families of Mirchpur in Hisar. This was not the first instance of caste violence or social intimidation; unfortunately nor would it be the last. If caste identities have grown sharper,it’s not because of social inequality or injustice but more so on account of opportunist politics. Much of the inter-caste venom and violence has been perpetrated by the vested political interests of the region.

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If the Congress or its leadership were really serious about removing social inequality,intimidation and rough (in)justice by dominant castes,they would have been more active and articulate much earlier when Dalits suffered brutality and inhuman treatment. Is it not the UP assembly elections that have drawn the Congress leadership’s attention?

— Ved Guliani

Hisar

Good move

• Departing from the customary dilly dally of India’s stand on bilateral peace negotiations with Pakistan,Manmohan Singh’s initiative to start talks,on all matters of mutual concern,is a qualitative change for good. Indeed Dr Singh’s name will go down in history for his exemplary work on the Indo-Pak relationship. Suspension of talks with Pakistan,after the Mumbai attack of November 2008,has brought only a gory stalemate between the two countries,making it difficult to start any dialogue.

— C. Koshy John

Pune

• It’s true that a durable peace with Pakistan is critical for the realisation of India’s aspirations. But before we accept this assumption we need to understand the semantics of peace as understood by the two countries. For India,peace would mean secession of hostility,cross-border terrorism and acceptance of the fact that the treaty of accession is final and ever lasting. Whereas for Pakistan,extending the logic of the two-nation theory is an unstated goal. In this situation,where both countries have mutually exclusive goals,lowering one’s guard is both foolish and suicidal. Therefore,it’s pertinent to ensure that Pakistan is compelled to accept India’s position.

— Amit Pradhan

Baroda

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