A daring stand

A daring stand
This is with reference to ‘The naked secularist’, (DNA, April 1). I thank you for a rational article. It reflects feelings of those like me who are opposed to one-sided secularism and don’t know how to voice our opinion against the secular brigade. The articles by this author always stand out from the typical so-called liberal and secular thoughts. It needs guts to write such articles which challenge the attitudes of the so-called seculars. The author has rightly pointed out the issues of the anti-Sikh riots, Bofors and apologies tendered by the leaders of respective parties.
—Sandeep Donde, via email
 
II
In ‘The naked secularist’, the writer says ‘By blasting anyone who is hired by the state, they are effectively saying that working for Gujarat is the same as working for Modi.” Modi never tires of equating himself with Gujarat and he makes us believe that the two are one and the same. Therefore by accepting the brand ambassadorship of Gujarat without being seen as a supporter of Modi is like saying “I did not take dowry. My father did”. The Tatas and Ambanis praise Modi because it is good for their business. Moreover calling Modi for interrogation before SIT speaks volumes about lacuna in his administration during the Godhra carnage.
—RM Deshpande, Navi Mumbai

Real or hoax
This refers to ‘Kerala teen earns pat from CERN after IISc goof-up’, (DNA, April 1). It is indeed surprising that the scientists of a prestigious institution like the IISc didn’t take any action over Midhun’s theory that the LHC’s proton collision experiment will not lead to the creation of a black hole. The reason for their indifference is obvious. They probably could not comprehend it and so considered it a crackpot theory. They thought that they might make a fool of themselves if they supported such a theory if it turned out to have no scientific bearing. This is the dilemma facing our scientists since the days of Raman Pillai’s herbal fuel turned into the biggest hoax.
—V Venkatasubramanian, Mumbai

Work and leisure
Nowadays many companies pay the best of salaries but make the young generation work for 12-16 hours. Many employees are required to work till midnight from 9.30am or 10am in the morning. As such the life-span of fit working people is reduced to a great extent. Why do these companies not employ more people and restrict maximum hours of working per person and let the employees enjoy both the work and the leisure. Leisure too is important to get best results. And by employing more employees the problem of unemployment too shall be reduced.
—Mahesh Kumar, via email
 
Secularists stripped
The article ‘The naked secularist’ (DNA, April 1) presented an interesting reading. The Gujarat government has made Amitabh Bachchan the brand ambassador for tourism, but the Congress secularists are working overtime to equate him with Gujarat. It is out of some inexplicable fear that everything in Gujarat is related to Modi and condemned. One wonders if there will soon be a party line against consumption of Amul butter and groundnut oil produced in Gujarat! The sham of Congress secularism is being stretched to absurdity. Reprimanding the chief Minister of Maharashtra for sharing the dais with Bachchan at an event in Mumbai is its latest manifestation.
—CS Pathak, Pune

It’s sub judice
The Congress party demanding that Amitabh Bachchan clear his stand on the 2002 riots in Gujarat and also explain if he “endorses or condemns” chief minister Narendra Modi’s role in the “pogrom” is preposterous. The matter is under the Supreme Court and SIT is conducting investigations as per the apex court’s order. Legal luminaries in the Congress must be aware that a person can neither be absolved nor condemned by any individual while the judicial process is on. It is hoped saner elements in Congress Party will prevail.  
—KRP Gupta, via email