This refers to the editorial, “Games academics play” (April 25). In the politically-motivated call to his students, St Xavier's College principal Frazer Mascarenhas virtually asked them not to vote for Bharatiya Janata Party which has Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as its prime ministerial nominee. His argument that, without any mala fide intent he merely wanted to put “things in perspective” for his students, is absurd. But he is not the only one. Seventy five professors and other academics of Indian-origin working at some of Britain's prestigious educational institutions chose to attack Mr Modi through an open letter.
A bunch of Indian intellectuals and even Bollywood personalities have also issued similar appeals to save the ‘idea of India’ — whatever it means. The voters of India have shown their maturity time and again and they don't need unsolicited advice of self-appointed champions of Indian secularism and democracy. If they want Mr Modi to be the Prime Minister, he will be.