BJP's Bihar Debacle And An Introspection

Many factors were behind the humiliating defeat of the BJP in Bihar. We know the saying ‘success has many fathers, failure is always an orphan’ is aptly applicable to the BJP. Mr Indresh Kumar, one of the chief office bearers of the RSS, has cautioned the BJP that it made some mistakes in Bihar which must not be repeated in Assam. We all know that Mohan Bhagwat's statement on the sensitive ‘reservation’ issue proved to be the last straw on the camel’s back. Astute politician Lalu Prasad made the best of it by blowing it out of proportion, spreading the issue far and wide. As a sizeable number of Bihar’s voters are from the Dalits (backward castes), one can imagine how many votes were cast in favour of the BJP. To make matter worse, some overenthusiastic stalwarts brought the issue of beef to hammer the last il in the BJP's coffin. We find no rationality behind blaming the RSS for the BJP's dismal performance in Bihar. Accountability must be shared with the maxim, ‘We will sail and sink together.’

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh.

Recall the sacrifices of the 1962 war martyrs

It is painful to note that it has taken five decades to honour the martyrs of the 1962 war. The soldiers laid down their lives in the hope that their countrymen would take care. But we have taken decades to recognise thier sacrifices. If India is capable of defending itself today, it is because of the sacrifices made by the soldiers of the past. The Indian forces are now, no doubt, well equipped and energetic but we must recall the sacrifices of the 1962 war martyrs every year.

Satish Kumar Sarma,

Kalyanpur,

Biswath Chariali.