Barbaric attack

By massacring school kids in a military-run school in Peshawar, the Taliban has displayed unfathomable vengeance and cruelty. The choice of Army Public School was not random, but deliberate. The slaughter of innocent kids was carried out to take revenge on the military for the combat operations in North Waziristan and Khyber as well as to prove its capability. It was a clear case of matching provocation — civilian casualties in the military offensive in the north-west frontier tribal areas — with over-reaction – the carnage of innocent children.

The Taliban militants were so consumed with the desire for retribution that it did not occur to them that children should be spared from the battles adults fight. They were no warriors but cowards. The suicide attackers were foot soldiers brainwashed into believing that their role in holy would be rewarded in the afterlife. They failed to understand that the smaller the coffins are, the heavier they are to bear. The unchecked scourge of extremism bred by religious fundamentalism poses an existential threat to Pakistan.

G David Milton

Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

It is high time the Pakistan government put an end to all terrorist activities. It is time the people of Pakistan rose to the occasion and forced their government to put an end to terror activities on their soil. All the countries of the world must join forces to eliminate eliminating terrorism from Pakistan and other countries. These brainwashed terrorists are worse than mad animals.

Sadly, innocent people are being exploited in the name of religion. If more such attacks takes place the future of Pakistan will be doomed. A better and peaceful Pakistan is in the hands of its children and they can be taught this only through education.The Pakistani government must understand that in order not to be called a rogue State, it must put an end to all of terrorist activities including indirect support to terrorists, otherwise tomorrow terrorists will take over Pakistan.

M Kumar

New Delhi

Go for e-banking

This is with reference to the article ‘Check out time for cheques’ by S Kalyanasundaram (December 17). Statistics do reveal that a higher level of fraud is happening in the cheque format than in the electronic payment mode. The RBI has at periodical intervals instituted a number of initiatives to curb fraudulent transactions. Electronic products are priced low, they are speedy and less costly than other traditional payment modes. Therefore, e-payments have increased substantially. What is more important is a stipulation that payments above ₹50,000 should be compulsorily routed through NEFT/RTGS. This may even help deal with black money

Ravindranath Shetty

Mangaluru

No need to compete

This refers to “Why Indian ports can’t compete with Colombo” by TE Raja Simhan (December 17). Indeed there is no rationale for such competition. India’s premier port, JNPT, which handles 40 lakh containers a year, is predominantly a direct call port. Mundra too. The growing trend in India is for direct call ports that facilitate consignments reaching their destination as quickly as possible without being transhipped at intermediate ports, where consignments are aggregated into bigger parcel size to suit a huge-sized ship.

Colombo port serves as hub for Tuticorin, Chennai and Cochin. These Indian ports too are becoming direct call ports. Indian ports are on the right track, developing ports to suit the needs of trade. Unlike China, India has a long enough coastline to locate ports of adequate size as close as possible to traffic generating regions within India. The modern day logistics of manufacturing and marketing require a seamless flow of inputs and outputs. This would also help achieve the goal of ‘Make in India’.

KVA Iyer

Kochi

Taliban treachery

The massacre of the innocent children should open the world’s eyes to the barbarism and treachery of the Taliban. These outfits are a growing evil which can be erased only by the combined and joint efforts of all the countries of the world.

Ashok Jayaram

Bengaluru

Pakistan must join hands with other nations to destroy all the terrorist groups. Nawaz Sharif, the ISI and the Pakistani Rangers should never forget that they have been creating anti-India terror groups for more than four decades. Pakistan must wake up before it is too late. Hansraj Bhat

Mumbai

The macabre massacre deserves to be condemned in the strongest terms. That the Taliban choose to vent their anger on “innocent little ones” only makes the killing more chilling. The terror outfit's statement that the attack was an act of revenge for military operations against militants in North Waziristan is also ridiculous. The bloody attack has earned the ire of not only the Pakistani people but also that of the international community. The Pakistani government can no longer afford to play second fiddle to the Taliban and should launch an all-out offensive to wipe out terror from its soil.

NJ Ravi Chander

Bengaluru

The horrifying terror strike at innocent students is a heinous crime. It was Sydney a few days ago, and Peshawar in Pakistan and tomorrow it could well be anywhere else in the globe. This shows that terrorists are becoming increasingly hyperactive and spreading their tentacles far and wide to destabilise society and achieve their ulterior motives.

India has always been vulnerable and a soft destination for terror strikes. The new government has promised to curb terrorism. Peshawar is an eye-opener and concrete efforts are expected to convert the promise into a credible system . Protecting sovereign India and its people must always engage the attention of the State.

For now, Pakistan is in a state of shock and India has the onerous responsibility of extending humanitarian aid to Pakistan.

Srinivasan Umashankar

Nagpur

They are our children and it is a global loss. Looking at the way these terrorists are indulging in such heinous and unpardonable acts, one wonders whether barbarism is a sufficient adjective to equate their dastardly act! We can only pray to the merciful Lord to enlighten and transform such perpetrators as human beings with a compassionate heart.

Tharcius S Fernando

Chennai

More light

This refers to ‘Hindalco coal block: Court asks CBI to quiz Manhohan’ (December 17). The Congress should not read between the lines of the trial court directing the CBI to examine former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the case of Talabira-II coal block allocation to Hindalco. The premier investigation agency has filed a closure report but since Singh was coal minister at that time, the apex court thought it was incumbent to examine him also.

The natural resources of the country should be utilised for its multitudes to optimum level and cannot be allowed to be cornered by some vested interests through fraudulent means. Manmohan Singh may throw some more light on the issue.

HP Murali

Bengaluru

Landmark decision

This refers to your editorial ‘Destigmatising suicide’ (December 17). The call for making suicide a serious healthcare priority in the context of India having the world's highest suicide rate among 15- to 29-year-olds should merit serious attention and follow up action. Counselling should be one of the ways forward. Strangely, suicide is the only crime for which an individual is punished for a failed attempt. The Centre’s act of decriminalising suicide and also deleting Section 39 of the Indian Penal Code from the statute book are in line with the times. Amnesty’s call for the release of Irom Sharmila who has been in detention for more than 14 years on repeated charges of attempted suicide should be heeded straightway. Her release will be a genuine gesture of compassion and also an implementation of the decriminalisation of suicide.

CG Kuriakose

Kothamangalam, Kerala

The root of the problem is our education system which imposes a huge amount of pressure on our young ones. The way we pressure our children to score 100 per cent is insane. The entire system should be reformed to reflect the needs of our society. The other problem is farmer suicides. We need farm insurance which will address their problem. Yes, some percentage of the suicides can be attributed to illness and care should be taken to save them. But the majority of the young and all our farmers can be saved by a responsible government. We are responsible for these suicides, so we are the ones who should find the proper solution.

CR Arun

Email

Erratum

b In the news item, ‘Coal users want rail surcharge revoked’ published on page 19 in the edition dated December 15, the Coal Consumers’ Association of India (CCAI) was wrongly described as Coal Consumers of India (CCI). The error is regretted.

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