Readers’ comments: India has made a wise decision by boycotting OBOR

Asian century

Has MK Bhadrakumar read about China’s grand plans for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (“With Japan and China coming closer, the dream of Asian dominance may just forge ahead without India”)? If all goes well for the Chinese, we shall have their presence on our eastern and western borders. Does he believe that even though CPEC runs through Paktistan occupied Kashmir, India should have wagged its tail and queued up to support the Belt and Road initiative?

Yes, it’s true that the global scenario, particularly after Trump’s ascension, has led to a diplomatic downturn for India. But the country is at no risk of becoming an outcast. It’s too huge and its market, current as well as potential, too big for it to be easily dismissed. It has taken a stand against OBOR on principal.

Pakistan is the joker in the pack. Add a loose canon like Trump, the historical problems China has with Japan, China’s desire to dominate the South China Sea, the examples of Venezuela and Sri Lanka when they kissed the dragon, and India’s distance from OBOR may seem like a wise decision.
The smartest thing for India to do would be to kick-start its economic engine, so that it becomes the next driver of the world economy after China. But if it’s economy falters, there will be trouble, OBOR or no OBOR. – Seshan Ranganathsn

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Mr Bhadrakumar, I know your Left-leaning mentality. But before writing such stuff, please study history and understand what Japan did to China during World War II. – Shrihari Kulkarni

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Without India, there will be no Asian dominance. In the future, spiritual power and soft power will dominate and hard power will be defeated. That’s when India will dominate the world as a spiritual guru and a super power. It’s just a matter of time. – Hansraj Jyani

Freedom curbs

It is sad to see the dictatorial side of the present regime, especially after were made to believe that we now have a government of the principled, idealistic and honest samaj sevaks (“Full text: Fali Nariman explains why the CBI raid on NDTV was an attack on press freedom”). On amost Hindi TV news channels, all you will find is shameless praise of everything the Modi and Yogi combo is doing. Has Hitler been reincarnated in the home of the Aryans, to ensure the rule of pure Aryans? – Pashi Kapur

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The raid on NDTV promoters by the Modi government its a putting pressure on the channel to stop their anti-government coverage. But that should not stop them from raising issues releated to the Modi government’s policies that are affecting people an d making them suffer. – Paramvir Singh

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This is a well-reasoned speech befitting an eminent laywer. It is convincing and enlightening. –Viswanathan

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If Prannoy Roy is clean, then he should fight back. Why put on this show? If the government is wrong, then go directly to the Supreme Court with all the evidence you have. But instead, you are fighting through the media. True, the media is very important in a democracy, but is should be neutral. The media, like our politicians, is corrupt and the people of this country know how to teach a lesson to both if they do not do their duty honestly. – DK Singh

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It is the job of journalists to keep a close eye on the performance and policies of the government. They have been doing so for hundreds of years. In the last decade, the standard of journalism has gone down. A few journalists hobnobbed with the Congress and accepted bribes to suppress news of the corruption, nepotism and anti-national policies of the government. NDTV is at the forefront of this, which has been proven beyond doubt.

Speaking in favour of the corrupt and defending them indicates that they are also partners to this loot and this corrupt brigade is trying to scare the BJP government. The prime minister has said that no matter how powerful you are, if you have done something corrupt, the law will catch up with you. – M Sarmal

Triple talaq debate

I am surprised to find Kapil Sibal defending the Muslim Personal Law Board (“In their fight against triple talaq, Muslim women must be wary of being pushed into ghettos”) . Any person concerned with human rights should be defending the personal rights of Muslim women. – MS Malik

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The author of this piece, Hasina Khan, fights against triple talaq. She fights for Muslim women who have been discriminated against and whom the male Muslim clerics have not only failed but actively connived against. Khan also acknowledges that the previous governments have done nothing to end the discrimination and that a person who was Law Minister in theCongress government is arguing for the continuation of this obnoxious practice and against equal rights for Muslim women.

She also realises that the current government has supported the abolition of triple talaq. However, she cannot set aside her prejudices against the BJP and is therefore unhappy that the party and the Centre is supporting her cause. It is time for her and other Muslim women to accept the fact that the Congress only appeased male Muslims and clerics and did nothing for Muslim women, but the BJP is for equality of all Indians irrespective of religion or gender. She and other progressive Muslims cannot turn away from the truth any longer. – Ravindra Rao

Beef politics

Beef has been eaten for thousands of years across the world and has never before been compared to tobacco (“Watch: Beef is a bad habit like alcohol, tobacco, says RSS leader Indresh Kumar”).

Tobacco is not a food product but beef is a part of many people’s diets. None have called it poisonous. The poison is in the minds of the dirty politicians who divide people on religious lines to gain political mileage. – Mohammed Rafi

Arundhati Roy review

With regard to the response to Arundhati Roy’s new book, one cannot please everybody (“Arundhati Roy’s new book has gone straight into the Ministry of Utmost Media Criticism”)! The novel tries to represent lives of human beings with multitudinous personalities. Naturally, you tend to agree with ideas that suits you and criticise what doesn’t. This reflects in people’s divided opinions about the book and even in reviews. Ultimately, Roy succeeds in drawing emotions out of people. – Sheshu Babu

Under judgement

The higher judiciary has been infected by obnoxious communal ideology and unscientific illogical bigotry (“Cow is a ‘substitute to Mother and God’, says Hyderabad HC judge”). It is tragic and alarming that a few High Court judges openly violate the fundamental duties of promoting harmony and maintaining a scientific temper listed in Article 51 A of our Constitution. Those who do not have the slightest regard for the Constitution have stormed into the Higher Judiciary. – Purushuttam Barman

Look within

As always, the prime minister has delivered a well-prepared speech (“Need to fight terrorism, address climate change, increase connectivity, PM Modi says at SCO summit”). But who are we kidding? What do we have to say about the surge in attacks in the name of religion? Isn’t this also terrorism?

The problem is we associate terrorism with Muslim jihad. But how different are we? And instead of curbing such actions, the government is encouraging them through its bizarre laws and statements. Why are we imposing our religious views on someone? Why are we dividing our society? – Shino