Maintaining international friendships
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call to the His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, was a good development (“Mohammad Bin Zayed receives call from Modi”, Gulf News, January 10). Leaders should have periodical personal interactions with each other for better understanding and bilateral relationships. Modi’s initiative was laudable, apart from the normal visit. Personal calls will add more advantage and rapport between the two countries. They can discuss various issues, for development and mutual benefits. Personal calls bring more intimacy and friendship, and will be more effective. By virtue of the UAE and India’s longstanding relationship and Prime Minister Modi’s call, it will certainly enhance the relationship in the near future. Such incidents are very rare in international politics.
From K Ragavan
India
Great potential to lead
I have always been a great admirer of celebrity Oprah Winfrey and while living in Dubai, I used to regularly watch and enjoy her program, ‘The Oprah Winfrey Show’ (“If Oprah took on Trump, he would be the ultimate winner”, Gulf News, January 16). She has inspired me. She is a woman of substance in the true sense of the word and has reached this stage in her life due to hard work, dedication and courage. She has all the qualifications and credentials to contest the elections for the president of the US. It will be a great achievement for a black woman to enter the White House. If anyone can do it Winfrey can. The question is will America be able to accept a coloured woman as their President? I wish her all the best.
From Ms Umbereen Rahman
Pakistan
New probe, better action
Following the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in 1984, more than 3,000 Sikh people were killed and their houses were looted (“Supreme Court to form fresh Special Investigation Team to monitor probe into 186 anti-Sikh riot cases”, Gulf News, January 11). Hundreds lost their livelihood. The Supreme Court’s decision to set up a fresh three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by former Indian High Court Judge to probe and monitor 186 anti-Sikh riot cases is a welcome move. In 1986 Justice Ranganath Mishra’s commission was appointed to find out about the anti-Sikh riots but no action was taken. In the year 2000, Justice of the G.T Nanavati commission was appointed and found evidence against Congress leaders Jagdish Tytler, Cabinet Minister M.P Sjan and late minister H. K. L Bhagat, who were accused of instigating mobs and killing hundreds of innocent Sikhs, but no action was taken. The victims of the anti-Sikh riots even after 34 years, did not get justice and hopefully the new probe will find out the truth. I hope the culprits behind the riots will be booked and adequate compensation will be given to the victims.
From Mr Eappen Elias
Dubai
Joining forces
Without a doubt, the present Tamil Nadu political scenario, especially after the demise of former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, has made every Tamilian hang his head in shame (“Rajinikanth explains ‘spiritual politics’”, Gulf News, January 4). Politics has really become rotten and democracy has been devalued. Under the circumstances, when we are crying for a change, it is the apt time for Rajinikanth to take a plunge in politics. Of course, he is a novice and might find it difficult to start from scratch. But he has the fan following like our late Chief Ministers, M. G. Ramachandran and J. Jayalalitha. As time passes, he would learn the nuances of politics, especially in Tamil Nadu. We are confident that he would be a better leader than the present crop of leaders. It would be nice if Kamal Hassan, instead of forming another party, would join hands with him to take the state to higher heights.
From Mr N. Mahadevan
India
Abuse of power?
It is really painful and shameful to know that Member of Parliament (MLA) N. A Haris of Karnataka State, made school children to wait for more than two hours, under the blazing sun to greet him on his birthday. Can’t he be punished? If he is really interested in distributing school bags to these children, either he should have handed over the bags to the Principal of the school or gone himself to distribute the same at the school premises. It is high time the Supreme Court took note of such violations and takes stringent action to avoid such inconveniences to the students.
From Mr N. Viswanathan,
India
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