Communal divide in India
This is in reference to the column “Sowing the seeds of hatred in India” (Aug. 24) by Aijaz Zaka Syed. The author has put reality in a very sequential manner explaining how the main political parties spawned hatred in the country pitting the majority against the minority which has led to a state wherein the second largest Muslim community living in the country is looked down upon as lesser citizens.
Perpetrators of hate always damage the very dignity of humanity and eventually damage the country’s image. Unfortunately, a small section of Hindu zealots influenced by the hate campaign of the groups like RSS, are responsible for such acts.
The seeds of hatred are being sown to reap the harvest of power at the center again by saffronizing and corrupting the intellect of society and by human devastation.
Young minds are brainwashed by the saffronization of education system which casts aspersions on Muslims and their faith. The rewriting of history is done in a way that continues to fuel the non-secular, chauvinistic Hindu perspectives, causing the new generation of Indians to shape their behavior toward Muslims in a very hostile way.
Despite the fact the Indian constitution claims to provide equality of opportunity to all citizens, the biggest Indian minority is a victim of deprivation. If we want our country to grow manifold, minorities in general and Muslims in particular have to be treated equally and all the hindrances to their growth should be removed by the ruling political elites.
It’s an obligation of an every honest Indian to ensure all the hate mongers are effectively challenged and pushed to the margins. Can India embark on a new dynamic growth path by neglecting their largest minority — 161 million Muslims — which covers around 20 percent of the country’s population? This is something every Indian citizen needs to ponder over. — Saif ul-Islam Farooqui
Riyadh Lebanon’s concerns
The events prevailing in neighboring Syria are adversely affecting Lebanon — a country which had earlier been torn by a civil war. There is always a likelihood that the country will descend into chaos once again. There is a constant probability that Lebanon might be dragged into a war that is not its own creation.
Last week, clashes in Lebanon erupted because of the ongoing war in Syria. The country is precariously divided over those are allied with the regime in Syria and those who are fiercely opposed to it. Given the turmoil Syria and its neighbors are in, it will be prudent on the part of the Syrian regime to attempt reconciliation thus averting a catastrophe looming large all over the region.
Lebanon is mindful of the perils of which will be brought on it if it got involved in the war taking place in the neighborhood. — Shaukat Naeem Ghumman, Riyadh
Aramco’s website hacking
The hacking of Aramco’s internal computer network services must not taken lightly and the culprit should not be allowed to go unpunished.
Whoever is responsible for such a crime must be held accountable. Also a company the size of Aramco with its importance to Saudi economy should be held to a higher standard when it comes to securing its computer networks than other less important companies and institutions.
Aramco officials should have done a better job at securing their networks against hackers and hacking.
Aramco officials should be held accountable to prevent a repetition of such a crime.
An investigation must be carried out and the perpetrators responsible must be apprehended and extradited to the Kingdom to face justice for their crimes.
— Dr. Osama Alobaidy, Riyadh
Letters: Communal divide in India
