The news story about LTTE supremo Veluppillai Prabhakaran’s “bold” defiance of his enemies from a subterranian bunker (Tiger chief lives in a den 30’ beneath ground”, DH, Feb.14) reminds us of the last days of Adolf Hitler, the German despot. While Prabhakaran’s fighting force, now consisting mainly of forcibly conscripted teen aged boys and girls, are dying like flies to the bullets of the Sri Lankan army, instead of leading them from the front, this war lord is safely tucked away in an air conditioned bunker with his courtiers fawning on him.
Imagining himself the uncrowned monarch of an independent Tamil nation, he systematically liquidated all his opponents, the other moderate Tamil leaders, so that the community is left leaderless and at the mercy of this megalomaniac. But for him, the ethnic conflict in the island nation would have been resolved long ago to the satisfaction of every one.
VIJAY MOHAN
Chennai
Whims and fancies
Sir,
It was disturbing to read about the transfer of senior railway officials for some whimsical reason. It only shows how politicians have taken this country for granted and are ruining it to the core. After pillaging the country, they are now destroying the sparingly available creed of honest and upright officers who are committed to serve.
Lalu’s action is highly abhorring.
K S Hegde
Bangalore
Dirty games
Sir,
The drama enacted in Mumbai is symbolic of the despicable dirty games played on the hapless people by the politicians, so common in our system of democracy. While the uneducated, which constitute the overwhelming majority of the electorate in our country, do not have an opinion, the intelligentsia is becoming increasingly more and more cynical of the system chosen for electing the leaders.
H R Bapu Somasekhar
Bangalore
Political gains
Sir,
It’s clear that Raj Thackeray is raising the passions of the people for political gains. After Bal Thackeray, Raj is now trying to cash in on the non-Maharashtrian issue that has rocked the metro recently. Migration of people to cities in search of a better life is an on-going process and cannot be halted totally. Mumbai is known for its cosmopolitan nature for decades and it should remain so despite the noise made by Raj Thackeray.
D B N Murthy
Bangalore
Govt policy
Sir,
I refer to the editorial, All for jobs (DH, Feb 13) and the ongoing agitation by the Kannada activists. As you have aptly observed these agitations both in Bangalore and Mumbai are meant for jobs for the local people. The government should have a policy on an all India basis to preferentially select local people for semi and unskilled jobs. This should be mandatory for the private sector as well. For jobs with higher and technical requirements the recruitment can be national.
H N Ramakrishna
Bangalore
Cry for democracy
Sir,
This refers to the editorial, Ray of hope (DH, Feb 14). Now it is the turn of Pakistan to try for democracy. The junta want to take over the ruling stick for ever and do not want to loose it at any point of time. President Musharraf’s talk of elections is a show of pretence to the prove that he is not averse to go for democratic set up of government. Even with all this negate thoughts of democracy the country should go for elections and try for the best way available to click for democracy.
Prabhakaran and the Tiger’s last straw
