Letters to the editor

• The BJP by their actions in Karnataka are proving the old adage of looking a gift horse in the mouth. Irrespective of the problems that they have been having with the JD(S), they should have made sure that they held the reins of Government in Karnataka come October, for the simple reason that they had an agreement on that. The JD(S), in the normal course, could not have refused to transfer power. This would have enabled them to head a government in South India , for the first time. More important, it would have been in the advantageous position of running the elections in Karnataka from a position of strength when the general elections came along. The party squandered this chance by first over-reacting to the Rama Sethu comments by the TN CM and allowing its supporters to target his daughter’s house in Bangalore and attack a bus near Hosur. Two people were killed in the process.

— S. Kamat

Alto Betim, Goa

Gandhi’s jagir?

• Is it not odd that a Gandhi who represented India at a UN General Assembly function observing the Father of the Nation’s birthday as the International Day of Non-Violence, is neither related to him nor is the rightful inheritor of his moral and philosophical legacy? While addressing the UN, Sonia Gandhi called for “courage to follow Gandhiji’s foot steps”. But how did she follow Gandhiji?

By appointing her son Rahul as a general secretary of the Congress! One of The Sunday Express columnists described Rahul Gandhi as ‘yuvaraj’ — the crown prince, while Sudheendra Kulkarni contrasted Sonia Gandhi’s dynastic ‘nepotism’ in favouring her son to Gandhiji’s characteristic refusal to propose his own eldest son, Hiralal, for a scholarship to study law in London, which had caused bitter friction between the father and the son. Is this not a sad commentary on how politicians glorify Gandhiji in rhetoric and dishonour him in deed?

— M. Ratan

New Delhi

Cricketer’s candour

• It was nice to know that Hansie Kronje’s brother is making a movie on the cricketer’s “inner journey — rise, fall and acceptance”. Hansie was undoubtedly a great player. But the way he accepted his guilt makes him a great person too. The way he acknowledged his sin is also not a mean achievement. We have become such slaves to our ambitions that we have deserted the truth.

... contd.