Readers’ comments: Honorary doctorates, like Nobel Peace Prizes, are just political appeasement

Honouring Erdogan

By the same principle, should Modi and his cohorts in BJP be governing India (“By conferring a doctorate on Erdogan, Jamia is celebrating a regime that attacks academic freedom”)? Are Aung San Suu Kyi and Menachem Begin worthy of the Nobel Peace Prize? Whether one is awarded a doctorate or a Nobel Peace Prize means absolutely nothing. It’s just political appeasement. Just give it a rest and move on. – Usman Madha

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By his action of purging all those Turkish people who were opposed to his plan of the extension of Islamism wherever possible, Erodgan has shown that he is the civilian face of an armed jihad. By honouring such a leader, does Jama Millia Islamia University too want to join the bandwagon? – Shreepal Singh

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The real question in this article comes at the very end: “We should also ask: why Jamia and not Delhi University? Is it because an Islamist dictator can be honoured only by an Islamic institution? Have we forgotten how a smear campaign was launched against Jamia and Aligarh Muslim University, calling them dens of terrorists, by those who hold power today?”

For the rest, Jamia cannot be held responsible. The decision was made by the present government, and Jamia dutifully obeyed. – CM Naim

AAP’s collapse

I am able to understand the sense of such articles (“Arvind Kejriwal’s four mistakes: Why the AAP leader lost the plot so quickly”). Journalists who are unable to predict events before they happen surely cannot be trusted to analyse them thereafter. – Subhasis Ghosh

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Arvind Kejriwal has shown that he is neither an administrator nor a politician. We supported him, along with Anna Hazare, in the fiht against corruption. But that was the problem under the UPA government. Modiji is not corrupt. All the allegations against him are fabrications of other parties and the media.

Instead of ruling the Delhi with in constitutional parameters, Kejriwal was busy fighting with the LG everyday and taking on the the PMO for no reason. He is only after popularity and cheap publicity. –Surendranath Gopala Pillai

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I don’t think Kejriwal lost the plot, I think his downward slide is on account of a fatal flaw in his nature. He is educated and somewhat smart, but he is arrogant – he thinks he knows more than anyone else – and is very ambitious. He thought he would become a national leader or maybe even prime minister faster if he went up against the BJP and Modi. But he was not up to that as he did not have the support base or the resources. He did a lot of drama, but in the end, most people were able to see through his game. – Ashok Bhagat

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I agree with some of the analysis but I disagree with the assessment that the LG was a tool in the hands of Centre. Najeeb Jung forthrightly said in an interview that there was no interference from the Centre and had their been, he would not have tolerated it. Kejriwal knew how the Delhi government functions.

He should have worked on the development plank, found ways to raise funds before announcing freebies, worked with the LG within constitutional norms. He should have stopped whining and criticising everyone. – Uday Vaidya

Triple talaq

It is highly regrettable and shameful that credible writers such as Ajaz Ashraf have stooped so low in their zeal to expose the BJP that they are now justifying triple talaq citing statistics, neglecting the victimhood of thousands of innocent women (“Modi asks Muslims not to politicise triple talaq debate. But the BJP has already done that”). The BJP might be a wicked party but the Muslims too need to look at the bigger picture. – Anup Singh

Move on

Every Indian knows that Rahul Gandhi is not competent for any post (“Well into 2017, Congress is still discussing when Rahul Gandhi will take over”). Why is the Congress adamant on making him head? He must be removed from the party because without a credible Opposition, democracy is a hypocrisy. There are many other leaders in the Congress who are fit to spearhead the party. – Ajit Jha

On the job

I am firm believer of Modi’s policies and I also agree that this analysis of the situation with regard to job creation is spot on (“One question Prime Minister Narendra Modi needs to focus on: How many jobs have we added?”). A major problem with Indian corporations is the huge disparity in salaries. About 10% of of employees get 70% of the salaries. The government should definitely keep a check on the governance of companies. – Arvind

Red alert

I agree with KPS Gill – such events are avoidable and precious lives could have been saved (“KPS Gill: Only a fair investigation can expose murky realities behind the attack on CRPF in Sukma”). With firm resolve and training, Maoists can be neutralised. But our politicians seem to be playing with fire by delaying taking solutions. The armed forces can control the situation somewhat but not eliminate it. – RK Sharma

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KPS Gill is a very successful police office who, in a short period, handled the problem of terror in Punjab. In his time, the judiciary also cooperated with him. Now it is responsible for the failure of law and order because of day-to-day interference in the functioning of law and order enforcement agencies and the military. – RD Goyal

TV wars

I couldn’t agree more (“Why are ‘nationalistic’ TV channels paying extremist Pakistanis to sell hatred against India?”). Indeed, some TV channels have made it a business to sell hatred against India and then justify how nationalistic they have been in demanding we sever all ties with Pakistan. Gone are the days of nuanced, sober debates on television. – Pujarileena

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People who do not have rational views or who do not listen to others’ opinions should not be given a platform to preach and spread venom against our security forces. – Harbhajan Singh Khanuja

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Aren’t certain anchors also hatemongers like their guests? They should also be isolated. – Ashok Singh Garcha

Yogi yug

Hats off to Supriya Sharma and team for such detailed reportage (“They paid a price for Adityanath’s hate speech – and now have fallen silent”). We need this kind of work. Keep pushing for the truth and keep focusing on the right issues. – Mayur