News that does not count

It was disheartening that HT did not report the demise of Krishna Chattopadhyay, a singer par excellence. It was she who imparted melody to the compositions of Atulprasad, Dwijendralal and Rajanikanta.

It was disheartening that HT did not report the demise of Krishna Chattopadhyay, a singer par excellence. It was she who imparted melody to the compositions of Atulprasad, Dwijendralal and Rajanikanta. It’s true that her legacy surpasses the need for reiteration by any public medium. Perhaps, that’s why her death failed to attract media attention. I write to protest against the useless information that the common man is being subjected to in the name of ‘breaking news’, while important matters are pushed behind needless promotions and publicity.

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Sarvani Gooptu, via email

Violence is not the solution

Apropos of the report Via Vienna, Sikh caste war returns, sets Punjab aflame (May 26), we fail to understand if it is justified to stage violent protests against the killing of a religious head in a far-off land. What has happened in Vienna is tragic and should be condemned. But damaging public property in Punjab and setting a train on fire are not the solutions to the problem. It is the duty of the Austrian government to punish the guilty. Resorting to violent protests and hurting innocent people in India will only make matters worse.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, via email

II

The killing of a religious leader in Vienna is unfortunate. However, violence is being spread by some miscreants who have no relation to this situation. They must be arrested by the police before the matter gets out of hand. The violence needs to be curbed before more innocent people lose their lives and more national property is damaged. The protestors should understand that aggressiveness and violence won’t help them gain justice.

Ganesh V Hegde, Karnataka

III

It is a matter of shame how members of two sects are fighting each other in the name of religion. Sikhism promotes love, harmony and tolerance. All Sikhs have one guru, Guru Nanak. His true disciples will never take up arms against their brethren. What has happened in Vienna has brought a bad name upon Sikhs across the globe. What is happening in Punjab will further embarrass the community. As true followers of Sikhism, people need to practise restraint.

KS Bhalla, Delhi

Where are the answers?

With reference to Indrajit Hazra’s article 741 days later… (May 26), Binayak Sen’s case reflects the plight of our system. The Naxal-hit areas lack infrastructure, healthcare and schools. People live under constant fear. But when poeple like Sen try to help, they suffer at the hands of the State. The case is a mockery of our system. The question now is that even if Sen has been bailed out, will the government work towards improving the conditions in Naxal-affected areas?

Sourabh Nagpal, via email

II

Indrajit Hazra ends his article by asking what happened to the policemen present in Santoshpur on March 31, 2007. But shouldn’t the media look for the answer to this query? It is sad that the Indian media is always eager to break news. But with time it loses interest in the case, unless it involves big names. This leaves the common man with half-baked knowledge on many issues, as exemplified by the Binayak Sen case.

P Zachariah, via email

The country needs reforms

Apropos of Rajeev Chnadrasekhar’s article The Dream Team part II (May 25), the observation that the judiciary and the executive have not been able to keep pace with the country’s progress is right. We need reforms to strengthen these two pillars of our democracy. Reforms are also needed in the education, health and rural management sectors. Only a strong and stable government at the Centre can curb corruption in public institutions. We hope that the new UPA Cabinet works for the welfare of citizens.

Siri Krishan Wasan, Noida