It is really painful to see both Karnataka and Tamil Nadu fighting over the Cauvery Water issue. A war-like
situation is prevailing in the south, which is uncalled for. Moreover, this issue has remained unresolved for over a decade despite several court rulings and tribunal awards. Political will seems to be absent in resolving the issue. It is not fair in a democracy to deny river water to the residents of the State through which it flows. In fact denying water itself to anyone is itself a crime. The Centre should not be a mute spectator. It should either resolve the issue or nationalise the rivers, paving the way for the linking of all possible major rivers in India.
SRAVANA RAMACHANDRAN, Chennai
Urgent Need of Trust
During the monsoon deficit years, trouble flares up between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu and the tempers and anguish rise so high that there is no room for rational reflection and a sane solution. The blame-game starts because of distrust. Each side feels that it has been wronged and that it is the victim. It seems that, if water of Cauvery is released, farmers in the Mandya region will suffer irreparable losses and people will go thirsty. Similarly, Tamil Nadu argues that its farmers in the Thanjavur area would be devastated if the Cauvery water is not released from Karnataka. The crises that farmers and people on both sides
experience cannot be imagined. Karnataka and Tamil Nadu will have to build mutual trust if the fluctuations in the river’s water flow are to be seen as a fact and not as a ploy.
KS JAYATHEERTHA, Bengaluru
Mutual Agreement: Solution to All Problems
The Supreme Court’s order to the Government of Karnataka to release 15,000 cusecs of water a day has once again created bitterness between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and which is being exploited by the anti-social elements to the fullest. What saddens is that the decades old fight for water has badly taken on the lives and livings of the ordinary people and those who work across the border of both the states. It has become a sort of mystery why successive governments at the Centre have failed to settle the issue that had the
reputation of raging war like situations between the two progressive states. As both governments are restricting regular movements of people, pre-empting
trouble in the border posts, this may lead to huge revenue losses in the days to come. The Government of Karnataka despite facing distress situation due to bad monsoon is releasing the water to Tamil Nadu, but this may cause trouble to the farmers of Karnataka, leading to fall of crop production in future. But then how Tamil Nadu will survive without water from Cauvery. Why can’t there be an amicable solution, suiting both the states? The need of the hour is to avoid seasonal conflict between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. Instead of resorting to temporary arrangements and adjudications, both the states must come up with a plan for mutual agreement through which almost near about a religious frenzy can be avoided for sharing water. Also rain water harvesting must be promoted so that every drop of water is utilised in a more efficient manner. Bad monsoon resulting insufficient water supply may be revisiting both the states. But then it is not a good occasion to realise and try fulfilling the demands of the dying farming community.
VINOD SHARMA, Panki, Kanpur
Leftists are Anarchists
(‘Revolutionary’ Rapist, September 4); Apropos to the article titled ‘Revolutionary Rapist’ by Nishant Kr Azad in Organiser. Leftists are anarchists and as per their vision, free thinking means sexual anarchism, use of drugs, anti-national activities etc. This have been proved when police raided hostels in Jawaharlal Nehru University
(JNU) where their leaders stay. Youth get attracted to these young anarchists because of their oratory skills. The ABVP should come forward to expose these traitors.
RAJAKUMAR G (Comment on web edition of Organiser)
Sahabuddin: Lalu’s henchman
Sahabuddin, for years, is known as a professional murderer and multi-facet criminal and he is stuck to Lalu Prasad Like a leech; till date it is Lalu who reaped maximum benefit out of hobnobbing with Sahabuddin. Sahabuddin maintains a bunch of hired killers. Perhaps, Lalu Prasad would not have reached such political height without Sahabuddin’s help. Sahabuddin's bail surprises everybody; it exposes once again the pathetic position of Indian Judiciary which is dictated by corrupt politicians and moneyed persons. Solo effort of Lalu released Sahabuddin, therefore, need of the hour is a regimental change in the Indian Criminal Justice System.
TUSAR KANTI KAR, Howrah-711 101
Welcome Decision
The Union Government’s plan to clamp down on the Hurriyat and other separatist leaders by restricting their foreign travels, scaling down the security enjoyed by them at the exchequer’s cost and monitoring their foreign funding is something which was long awaited. The root cause of the Kashmir problem is the separatist leaders who pose to be the leaders of the Kashmiris, but have never obtained the people’s mandate by
participating in elections. They dance to the tune of Pakistan and foment trouble by provoking the Kashmiris against the Government and the Security Forces. The way they rejected Chief Minister Mehbooba Muft’s invitation for talks with the All Party Delegation and treated prominent Opposition MPs of the delegation which went to their places, made it clear that peace and progress of Kashmir is not what they want. If the Union Government intends to act tough against them, they fully deserve it and have none else to blame except
themselves for that.
M C JOSHI, Lucknow
Waning Interest in Haj This year's Haj pilgrimage has revealed deep fissures in the Islamic world. Iran has not sent any pilgrim. Last year, there were 61 thousand Iranians at Mecca for Haj. This was against a quota of 150 thousands. Beginning early 1990's, Iran has never filled its quota. In fact there is a saying getting currency among Iranians. It goes like this — “Yoga is better than Haj.” So they are increasingly evincing interest in Yogic practices over the years. There are other Shia people too who are fast losing interest in Haj. Altogether there are only 1.4 million Hajis in Mecca, besides the local ones numbering some 6 lakh this year while there were some 1.6 million international Hajis in 2015. The all-time high number of Hajis was in 2012: 3.2 million of which 2.6 million were from abroad. Saudi Arab in fact created infrastructure for 4 million Hajis expecting a swelling after 2012. But a reverse gear has obviously come into operation. Haj has been playing an important role in the Saudi economy. And that seems to be the mundane inspiration behind the Prophet's designing of Haj (and Umrah) pilgrimages. Umrah, meaning the lesser pilgrimage, can be performed any time of the year except the five days around Id-ul-azha. The Umrah too, has also been witnessing a dwindling interest among the Muslims the world over. |
Hindu Refugees should be given due respect
(Sad Tale of Detention, September 4); This refers to the story titled ‘Sad Tale of Detention’ by Jyotilal Chowdhary in Organiser. It is shameful that in truncated Bharat, which was meant to be the homeland for the Hindus, even as per Jinnah and the Muslim League, two helpless small children with their mother from Bangladesh as refugees, should be sentenced and kept in jail in Silchar. The worst thing is that two crore Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators are enjoying full freedom. This is so, due to big sin committed by Gandhi, Nehru and Congress, who made truncated Bharat a paradise for the Muslims, and allowed Pakistan to become a hell for the Hindus and the Sikhs. All those who vote for the Congress brigade have to share this sin. It is good, that BJP has relaxed the harsh rules against the Hindu and non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, but it is not sufficient. Anti-Hindu Constitution should be amended, Muslims be de-franchised and deprived of citizenship rights, Pakistan and Bangladesh be asked for complete exchange of population and Hindu refugees from Pakistan and Bangladesh be given immediate citizenship and full help to settle.
ANAND PRAKASH, Panchkula, Haryana
Isolate Hardliners
How can we talk to the separatists who are agents and stooges of Pakistan? We must isolate them. The Union Government has taken the right decision to withdraw all the privileges, freebies to them. We must also withdraw the security cover given to them and let them fend for themselves. Talks must take place only when they accept the fact that Jammu and Kashmir is an unalienable part of India.
ASHOK K MEHTA, Delhi
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