Trefers to the editorial, “Iron will and iron hand” (July 12). The first thought that came to my mind when the attack on the Amarnath pilgrims was broadcast was the necessity for everyone involved in the conflict to call a truce to avoid further bloodshed. Nobody gains anything from violence but all of us become less human when lives are lost. We cannot be so inhuman as to remain undisturbed by the deaths of people of other faiths. We cannot be de-sensitised to violence in any part of the world. We cannot betray common humanity.
The source of the problem resides in the fact that people are conditioned to put ‘nationalism' and ‘religion' above humanity. It's time for some straight talk — hatred and violence emanate from the ‘us-and-them’ mindset. It is India versus Pakistan, Hinduism versus Islam and Kashmir versus India mindset. The categorisation ought to be on the basis of good and evil. Rigid attitudes result in mindless violence. It is a ‘political problem’ in Kashmir that cries out for a solution. The Kashmir problem cannot be just wished away by saying that the valley is not a disputed territory. Whether we are the Hindus, Muslims or Christians, it is important that every one of us follow a gentler stand of religion. Religious extremism of all faiths — be it the Hindu, the Wahhabi or the Christian — all have to be fought tooth and nail by the moderates of this world.