Readers’ comments: ‘Why has TM Krishna become insensitive to the killing of RSS workers?’

Collective crime

In “The TM Krishna column: Gauri Lankesh’s killers just did the job our society had designed for them”, TM Krishna observes: “They [Sangh Parivar] have made the rest of us crass and inhuman to the extent that we are unable to empathise when an RSS member is killed.”

With all due respect to him, why has he become so inhuman and insensitive to the killing of an RSS member? Is it because his ideology is not same as theirs? Is he saying that they deserve their fate and are not worth shedding tears over?

Liberals say one should not be killed for having a different ideology. I am deeply shocked and shattered by this statement. I believe that people like Krishna who are so sensitive to the arts will be sensitive towards everything. And yet, he says he has no empathy for an RSS worker. The more he tries to malign Hinduism, the more hatred he is injecting in our hearts.
These articles are just feeding into the hatred of Right wing. It’s high time he realises the need to be impartial to all human beings irrespective of ideology, politics, caste, creed and race. – Thejus Dutt

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I share TM Krishna’s anguish at what is happening to free speech, democracy and pluralism today. I despair at the growing culture of hate. I agree that I too must look into my of prejudices and fears to stem this rot in society. I strongly believe that all of us who watch murders all around us in silence are guilty of contributing to this culture of hate by our passivity.

I admire the outspokenness of gifted artists like TM Krishna and outstanding writers like Ramachandra Guha on Scroll.in who give voice to our anguish. – Tara Kini

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The people who where killed for having differing opinions came to be known by the masses only after their deaths, so blaming the society for their deaths is just an excuse to absolve the actual perpetrators of such planned violence. Death of a political worker may not be empathised by everyone because we know that political parties can fight for justice on behalf of their workers but when an ordinary journalist is killed, there is no one to ensure that justice is delivered. That is when the society empathises with the fallen. – Karthik

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No, TM Krishna. You do not speak for all of us. You and others like you have long been “crass and inhuman” when you weep selectively for the murdered. I guess that only the killing of some people deserve your sympathy and condemnation. That’s why do not write about the journalist Rajdeo Ranjan, shot dead in Bihar under the Mahagathbandhan, or Jagendra Singh, burned alive in Akhilesh Yadav’s Uttar Pradesh.

There have been dozens and dozens of killings like this all over India, but they don’t seem to bother you a bit.

Do you know what is galling? Gauri Lankesh was killed in Congress- ruled Karnataka. Her killers are yet to be identified or caught. Her brother has put forward ideas based on his knowledge. But you don’t want to troubled by facts – you know better. – Asit Dutta

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Congratulations on this nice column that paints a picture of the unfortunate scenario across the nation. – Nasrullah Baig

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How is TM Krishna helping the situation by writing this article? If anything, he is only adding to the negativity and despair instead of working to motivate people to be a part of the solution and not the problem. – Cynthia Stephen

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Yes, TM Krishna, we truly are terrified. Of ourselves. We seemed to have transformed into a populace that seems to be unconcerned and sometimes even gleeful at such dastardly acts. That could be the death of us. – Ramachandran Paliath

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Cold blood

It is clear that forces inimical to free thought and speech are in high spirits after the cold-blooded murder of journalist and activist Gauri Lankesh (“Gauri Lankesh murder: Facebook user posts ‘hit list’ of ‘her kind’, gets booked by Delhi Police”). They are celebrating the murder of one of their fiercest foes while also making hit lists for their targets. By doing so, they wish to tell journalists and writers in no uncertain terms that if they continue to air their dissent, they could meet Lankesh’s fate. This is part of their well-planned strategy to browbeat the media and keep the entire intellectual class of the nation under their thumbs. This is a very disturbing trend, as it puts the whole idea of freedom of speech at a great peril. It would indeed be a true homage to the departed journalist to resist communal forces that she had been fighting all her life with renewed vigour. – Samiul Quadri

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You have ranted about the poor quality of journalism and complained about media houses labelling people criminals or terrorists without full investigation. But aren’t you doing the same, when you implicate the RSS and the BJP in all violence against Muslims? What about your coverage on the Malegaon blasts? People in glass houses should not throw stones at others. Your level of journalism is among the lowest. I hope as a journalist and believing in dissent, you will publish this comment. – Alok Bansal

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Every one should have the liberty to speak or write whatever they wish to, but if their words hurt the sentiments of others, then reasonable restrictions need to be put in place. – Raj Kumar

NEET mess

Do we have any proof that the Christian Medical College in Vellore is not acting in connivance with our corrupt politicians who own many medical colleges and are earning hordes of black money (“NEET effect: Why Vellore’s Christian Medical College is leaving 99 of its 100 MBBS seats vacant”)? They are trying to arm twist the government in this way. Plus, they talk about rural postings, but they cannot force a student to serve in a particular place. Giving the students a choice is very important, especially for super-specialty services. – Manish Kumar

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When all the colleges in the country have taken students based on NEET scores, why should Vellore’s CMC be any different? If the objective is to serve society, why differentiate between Christians and others? It’s time CMC changes its admission policies. – Sasikumar K

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I am a student from the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Since Class 7, I have been dreaming of studying about the heart. My Class 12 results were good, but my NEET scores were a let down. NEET is dictating my choice of career. I want to become a surgeon but because of this centralised exam, this dream may never be fulfilled. I want to become a cardiologist, but I may not be able to even do my MBBS. The Vellore college has taken the right decision by standing up to the imposition of the test. – Soumi Mandal

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Minority institutions had a lot of freedom and would manipulate the admission process, while majority communities had to ascribe to all restrictions and rules. The Congress, for the sake of their vote-bank kept the majority communities deprived and other parties also did not open their mouth for fear of losing support. Enough is enough. – Leela San

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At a time when the nation is lacking in affordable healthcare, denying admission to MBBS and super-specialty courses is a great crime against national interests. At a time when there is talk of a uniform civil code, everyone should change their diversified divisive mindset and admit students on the principle of “one nation, one criteria.” – PK Patowary

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The Christian Medical College follows the best policy to choose doctors in a developing country like India. Doctors needs moral values – hospitals and doctors nowadays are increasingly commercialised. Hats of to the college for taking this decision. – Pachigalla Premanandarao

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As a surgeon, who got admission into medical school through merit, I am very disappointing by this esteemed medical centre’s decision. Is the aim of such institutions to create excellent doctors or to give a degree to the people who they see fit?

NEET is a very good initiative. It may not be perfect, but it’s a good move. People like me from middle -class families and no connections are given an equal footing. Earlier, people like me would not have a fair chance at entering such institutes. Every student in India should have the right to access an unbiased selection process. – Dhananjay Patil

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The CMC made the right decision. If the College is subsidising the cost of education, it has the right to choose its students. The Centre can open a number of medical colleges, similar to NITs and IITs, where they can implement their policies. – Bhaskaran PN

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Whatever be its credentials, the Vellore CMC has to follow the orders of the country’s Supreme Court. – Nandyalauma

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One of the best institutions has let seats go to waste. The government should learn from this and stop interfering in the functioning of states. – Vinoth Kumar

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Is there no value for merit? There should be no reservations in any place for education. – Radha Senthil

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I appreciate the decision taken by CMC Vellore. High marks are not the only criteria to decide whether someone is suited to be a doctor. – Hafsath Kaderkutty

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In India, lakhs of students dream to be a doctor. Please don’t snatch away their dreams. Someone who is passionate to be a doctor would definitely serve your institute well. I hope you understand the pain of parents whose children qualified under NEET twice but because of reservations and other prejudices, couldn’t go to their dream colleges. – Maya Badraika

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What an extraordinarily sad fall out of the confusion over NEET. I do hope the central government intervenes and builds a consensus. CMC Vellore produces the finest crop of doctors, and the country is in dire need of this. The findings of a very old survey perhaps hold true today too – AIIMs students go abroad, but CMC students go to rural areas. As pained as I am by their decision, I greatly admire CMC Vellore as an institution. – Sujatha Kanuru

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This medical college – or any professional college for that matter – must have the right to decide their admission processes for selecting students, subject, of course, to the reservation laws of a particular state. – R Venkat

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I strongly support the CMC’s decision to independently choose candidates who have strong desire to serve the poor and needy in rural areas. Healthcare is becoming increasingly unaffordable. What was once a sacred profession has become a business today. CMC Vellore holds out hope for the poor. – Pankaj Kumar

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All these years, the CMC has not followed a transparent admission procedure. I know first-hand of at least seven candidates who have been admitted based on the recommendations and manipulation by Church authorities over the last 10 years. NEET will eliminate such fraudulent admissions. – David Kumar

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The college’s management has not taken the right decision. The dean’s explanation does not entirely hold and somthing seems amiss. The government should interfere. – Neha Desai

Right move

Justice should be done to all students (“The NEET fiasco makes it clear that states must be at the core of framing India’s education policy”). There needs to be a level-playing field for students. To ensure that, all authorities concerned have to be proactive. States have played into vested interests for long and cannot be trusted. The Supreme Court has rightly reviewed the earlier judgment and has done justice. A common entrance test is the right way forward. What is missing is proper implementation, to ensure all students stand a fair chance. This requires out-of-the-box thinking. – Uday R Bhatt

Cost of demonetisation

Demonetisation was a masterstroke by Modi (“‘Is raid raj now unavoidable?’: Ten reads from Left and Right on the costs of demonetisation”). Never mind the commentary on it, the move has hurt where it intended. If raids are inevitable, they are welcome. Only those who fail to explain their deposits will be raided.

Raids are feared because it leads to corruption in the Income Tax department. But can the government not reign in such corruption? Let it take years, the good impact of demonetisation will be felt. – Somayajulu Cherukuri