Sir, - I was disappointed by your Editorial of March 16th on the current riots in India.
You explain the riots as a symptom of a traditional society having many ancient religious fault-lines.On the contrary, India has always been a tolerant society where the followers of different faiths pursued their religion with great freedom and acceptance.
Israel said India was the only country where Jews were never persecuted. Parsis, the original inhabitants of Persia, fled to India to escape the wrath of Islam and are today a prosperous community in India with lot of economic clout. Christianity came to India in first century A.D. and the local rulers gave the church free land-holding rights to set up the church.
The present-day riots are a legacy of British rule in India and their policy of divide and rule. Such riots date from the early part of the 20th century and, considering the 5,000 years of Indian civilisation, I feel they are a fairly modern phenomenon.
The second factor in the riots is the process of democratising traditional society and the ensuing politicising of traditional elements.
If you had touched on these factors your Editorial would have had substance and would have not smacked of ignorance and lethargy. - Yours, etc.,
APARNA MISRA,
Alexandra Quay,
Ringsend,
Dublin 4.