Readers respond: Why try and pull Sachin’s image down?

From DNA's letters section:

Why try and pull Sachin’s image down?
I would seriously like to have these questions answered: Who is Derek Abraham? What is he trying to prove? Why so much negativity against Sachin Tendulkar? Over the past few days, he has launched some kind of a barrage against Tendulkar, as if he had some scores to settle. I found his report on the front page (March 14) pathetic.

The headline ‘What Sachin did not get, Gauti and Kohli got’ is particularly something to be guffawed at. Does this man who is writing your cricket stories know anything about Indian cricket or Tendulkar at all? He can get some basic knowledge if he wants from a Wikipedia page dedicated to this legend: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sachin_Tendulkar.

Please ask him to read up before writing more derogatory filth against someone who has so much to bear on his shoulders. Almost every time he fails there is a big hue and cry. Why? What kind of a society are we living in? No one seems to be thinking of all the runs he scored, all those games where he single-handedly wreaked havoc when every other batsman failed. I am sure people who have followed cricket closely know the number of times he has fought those lone battles.

Every bowler in the world he faced, only has amazing things to say about him, they too collectively agree that he has always been one of their toughest opponents - mind you, he, not the Indian team. Everyone has a bad patch, everyone. Mr Abraham, if you are reading this, let me tell you that I don’t worship Tendulkar but I respect him for everything that he has done so far for cricket, for all those records that he already has in his kitty. I am sure it would take a Kohli or a Gauti another lifetime to achieve all that. So please, don’t compare players; and for heaven’s sake, stop your derogatory barrage
against someone whom India calls God.
—Sandeep Mohan

II
Yet again, the cricketing God has let his ardent devotees down by failing to clinch his 100th ton. The days are gone when the whole Indian team used to collapse following Tendulkar’s early dismissal. Now his performance does not have any impact on the morale of the team anymore. It is pathetic to see him fail again and again to reach his coveted target.

The selectors have the unenviable task of inducting him in every squad with the vain hope he will hit a hundred and vindicate them. The wait becomes agonizingly unbearable for the government too which is just about ready to confer the Bharat Ratna on him the moment he sets the record.

If, after all, he manages to achieve his aim, he will only reaffirm Aldous Huxley’s famous words: “If a monkey were to jab at the keyboard of a typewriter for a million year continuously, there is a finite probability that he will type out a full sentence from Shakespeare. But, that does not mean he is an erudite scholar.” Sachin should emulate the example of Rahul Dravid and retire gracefully now.
—V Rajalakshmi

Parsi funerals
This has reference to ‘Should Parsis promote funeral alternatives?’  (March 14). The Parsis should promote an alternative for disposal of dead bodies, and the system of consigning a dead body to flames is the best one as it gives a dignified disposal treatment to the dead.

Leaving the body for disposal in the traditional system of vultures is facing problems due to an acute shortage of the big birds or their near non-availability. And it is also not environment-friendly. Orthodox groups should not refuse community services and facility to those who dispose bodies in the non-traditional Parsi way —cremation and burials. The Bombay Parsi Punchayet should instal CCTVs in fire temples across Mumbai and monitor the progress of disposal of bodies in the traditional Parsi system.

A survey should also be taken to seek the opinion of the community on different methods of body disposal. Dignity of the dead is a vital factor. Parsis are an educated community; they should not disfavour an alternative system of funeral.
—Deendayal M Lulla

Didi decries budget
Mamata didi’s ways are indeed strange. Now, she has chosen to decry the budget presented by her successor in the railway ministry. This is a clear indication that she wants to run the railways from the Writers Building in Kolkata.

As long as she was in Delhi, Mamata was so deeply immersed in the West Bengal affairs that she hardly had any time for the railways. Now that she is comfortably ensconced in the Dalhousie Square secretariat, she will do well to leave the affairs of a central ministry to the minister concerned.
—DR V Subramayan

Lankan Tamils
As reported a lot of hue and cry is being raised in India about atrocities committed on Lankans of Tamil origin. The question that arises is that is it logical on part of the Indian government to care and fight for the Indians who are all over the world?

The Tamils who are citizens of Sri Lanka have settled in that country, salute the Sri Lankan Flag and respect and abide by the rules and laws of that country. So, if they face any difficulty or disobey the law of that country, or create problems, are we justified in supporting them?

Those who support them do so for petty political gains in India. The government or the politicians should first take care of the people of our country rather than wasting time and energy for people of Indian origin living in other countries.

The Lankans of Tamil origin wanted to disintegrate Sri Lanka and create their own homeland. No country would ever like to be disintegrated. Would we ever like our country to disintegrate? Can we imagine India without Kashmir? Sri Lanka was very much justified in suppressing the anti-national elements and save itself from disintegration.
—SP Sharma