Fact check

Sir — Khushwant Singh’s disregard for facts is well known. Because of his age, I do not wish to use harsh words. In his column in The Telegraph on Nov 29 (“Rather be clever than dumb”), he has made erroneous observations about me. Here are the facts:

First, I was not expelled from the Congress. I resigned from the Congress and the Rajya Sabha in February this year.

Second, the so-called “scandal” was minutely examined by the R.S. Pathak Committee which came to the conclusion that “there is no material to show that Shri Natwar Singh derived any financial or other personal benefit from the contracts.”

Third, I never joined the BJP.

Fourth, I resigned from the Bahujan Samaj Party on November 16, 2008, because I was not consulted on the distribution of tickets in Rajasthan in general and Bharatpur, my home district, in particular. On November 17, I was expelled. The BSP’s image in Rajasthan took a nosedive thereafter.

Yours faithfully,
K. Natwar Singh, New Delhi

No need for empty words

Sir — The families of our soldiers, who risk and lay down their lives to save the country and its people, have every right to rebuff the political class and its leaders, most of whom are self-serving, power-hungry, corrupt and hypocritical individuals (“Martyr’s father refuses to meet CM”, Dec 1). Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s heroic fight against the terrorists at the Taj Mahal hotel and his eventual martyrdom will be remembered for long by his countrymen. While the men from various wings of our defence forces, the police and fire brigade were doing their best to save the lives and property of innocent civilians, the political leaders, who care for their own safety and comfort above everything else, were busy delivering sermons from a safe distance. The stance adopted by K. Unnikrishnan, the father of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, and Kavita Karkare, the widow of the slain Maharashtra anti-terror squad chief, Hemant Karkare, has been exemplary. Both have shown exceptional self-respect and courage by refusing the overtures made by political leaders. If more and more people follow in their footsteps, perhaps India will get a healthy political environment in future.

Yours faithfully,
A. Roy Mukherjee, Calcutta

Sir — Most of the present-day politicians are found wanting in the basic human qualities, so it would be unfair to expect from them love and compassion for their fellow countrymen. The crude remarks made by V.S. Achuthanandan, the Kerala chief minister, after being disallowed entry into the house of the dead army officer, Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan, by his bereaved father, doesn’t come as a surprise (“Politicians vs the perfumed”, Dec 2). For further proof, there is Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi’s immature and tasteless reaction to the expression of disgust for the politicians by “Mumbai’s media-savvy swish set”. It is apparent that Naqvi and his ilk have no idea about the true feelings of the man on the street. If dogs could speak, they would surely have registered their hurt at the references made to their species by Achuthanandan. They are at least faithful, grateful, sincere and loving creatures — and that’s more than one can say about most politicians.

Yours faithfully,
A.K. Mitra, Calcutta

Sir — The Supreme Court and the National Human Rights Commission should take suo motu cognizance of the public insult of Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s family by the chief minister of Kerala. V.S. Achuthanandan, no matter how important or seasoned a politician he is, had no business saying that not even a dog would have gone to the house if it were not the residence of Major Unnikrishnan. Were all those who went to the house to attend a martyr’s funeral lesser creatures than dogs? To make matters worse, Achuthanandan, in his arrogance, even refused to express regret for his comments following requests from his party leaders. In any case, Achuthanandan ought to have refrained from visiting the Unnikrishnan residence in deference to the wish expressed by the major’s father that politicians do not come to pay condolence immediately after their bereavement.

Only the courts and bodies like the NHRC can rein in such unruly and self-important politicians and defend the honour of our martyrs and of the public.

Yours faithfully,
Madhu Agrawal, Dariba, Delhi

Sir — The Kerala chief minister is unlikely to have an idea about what it takes to bring up a son, inspire him to join the defence forces and then lose him to terrorists’ bullets. If Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan’s father did not want to meet V.S. Achuthanandan, he had every reason to do so. The Kerala chief minister’s visit itself inspires puzzlement, for patriotism is not a virtue one associates with communists. Do they have any idea what the Unnikrishnan family is going through at the moment? Incidentally, why has Prakash Karat & Co. surfaced now, after remaining invisible and mum when Mumbai was burning? It is all very well to point fingers at BJP leaders like Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, but those who are just as culpable should not be the ones to point.

Yours faithfully,
Ananthapadmanabhan, Bangalore

Sir — The communists had once called Subhas Chandra Bose “the running dog of Japanese general Tojo” and “a cur held up by Goebbles”. Although they have revised their opinion since, clearly, they have not let go of the canine metaphor. What do they think they are? Tigers? And what do the people think they are? Certainly creatures of baser instinct.

Yours faithfully,
Dinabandhu Mukherjee, Calcutta