India Fights Terrorism and Safeguards Liberties

Re “A ‘Shining’ India Falls into Brutality,” Commentary, April 25: Arundhati Roy has entirely omitted any reference to the terrorist activities of organizations based and sponsored from outside, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed and Harkat-ul-Mujahedin, which are responsible for the plight of people in Jammu and Kashmir and other parts of India.

Fighting terrorism requires a delicate balance between security measures and civil liberties. The democratic framework of India, with its vibrant multiparty system, independent judiciary, free press and national human rights commission, safeguards against possible excesses. India stands as a good example of achieving progress within a democratic setup, and there are in-built mechanisms to address issues in a transparent and open manner.

H.H.S. Viswanathan

Consul General of India

San Francisco