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E-mail from readers the world over

Terrorists, not freedom fighters!

Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2000, 14:10:03EST +0530
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

A very frivolous report. Reading it was a waste of my time.

Thomas M

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 13:29:43EST -0400
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

I salute the true heroes of mother India. Guys, for you no enemy, no threat is ever greater than your love of the motherland.

Samal, USA

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 14:51:20EST -0400
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

This is among the best articles I have read so far. The valour, the courage, the strength and the patriotism shown by our soldiers during the Kargil war is unparalleled in Indian history. To fight at such a height where you are not even sure if you can breathe is amazing. I salute my fellow countrymen for all they have done for us.

At a time when our country is facing a shortage of icons and leaders, the Kargil episode is one from which we can derive strength and hope. Although I felt that the video could have been better as it depicts the valour of our soldiers and I couldn't figure out what was going on, even though I have a T1 connection, I would like to thank Rediff.com for bringing out this series.

Prakash Krishnamurthi

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 19:00:55EST
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

I salute our Armed Forces as also the author of this piece. The best profession portrayed to the public in the best possible way with the right words, the right situations and the right examples. Keep up the good work!

R Boobandra Babu, Lisbon, Portugal

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 15:01:50EST -0400
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

What prevents the army from sending fresh bread and vegetables to its soldiers? Can't they be air dropped? Is it not possible to have army cooks prepare food for these valiant men?

Venkat Hari

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 12:32:04EST -0700
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

I wish you could make it compulsory for every bureaucrat and politician in Delhi to read about these experiences. Ditto for every Pakistani politician and leader.

Suresh Ramachandran

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 12:40:35EST -0700
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

A sentence in the story reads: `The conflict had not officially started. In government parlance, what had happened beyond Zojila Pass was still 'infiltration'. Not 'intrusion'. The army believed that freedom fighters were trying to sneak into Kashmir'.

How can you refer to terrorists as "freedom fighters"? I think rediff is losing its credibility by not cross checking on these matters. I strongly protest against such statements and believe that the writer should apologise for his this mistake.

Nikhil Vora

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 13:36:27EST
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

I quote from your article: "The army believed that freedom fighters were trying to sneak into Kashmir."

After losing 500 men you call these people "freedom fighters"? More appropriately, they are the scum of the earth. I hope your editors take note of this error and if Rediff hopes to continue as a readable site, I would like the journalist who wrote this piece to reveal his identity.

Chanchal Chatterjee

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 13:50:21EST
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

I would like to make a suggestion: Although the article is good I found it very difficult to read and follow it as the width for the paragraphs was very small (only seven to eight words per line). If the width is increased it will make for much easier reading and I won't have to keep scrolling down all the time. Also, the empty white space all round speaks of poor design (more than 60 per cent of the webpage is empty).

Prashant Padwal

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 17:44:35EST -0400
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

The article on Kargil, in its introductory paragraph, states: "...Army believed that freedom fighters..."!!

Are you a Pakistani news site? If so I would rather read Dawn from Karachi for a pure and unadulterated Pakistani version of various events. Please don't insult India by calling these terrorists "freedom fighters". If any of your reporters pass this statement in any other article to readers, I will be sure to drop my bookmark for your site.

Raj Bhatnagar

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 17:54:21EST -0400
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

Superb ! Keep up the good work.

V Karthikeyan, New York

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 18:11:04EST -0400
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

What kind of cry babies do we have for reporters? Instead of crafting this entire article on the tones of pride and bravery of the soldier, here we see it being painted as a sob story. It is nothing but a reflection of the author's mind. Grow up guys and have some self-esteem. If you are just reporting, keep it bland. If you want to add life into it, make a decision on what the message is going to be -- the treachery of the Pakistanis or the bravery of the Indian soldiers.

Vaidyanathan

Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000, 09:15:15EST +1000
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

I salute the courage, dedication and sense of purpose of our soldiers. Let those politicians, bureaucrats and misguided and greedy people who decide what equipment and necessities are required by the troops know that it is not important for them to have air conditioners etc on the plains but sophisticated equipment and warm clothing is what they need when they are at an altitude of 18,000 feet.

Take care great soldiers, your countrymen wish you all the very best!

K Sivakumar

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 20:11:03EST -0400
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

The writer of this piece says, and I quote, "...army believed that freedom fighters were trying to sneak into Kashmir. "

I don't see how these people can be called freedom fighters!

Ray Sharma

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 21:31:37EST
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

It is a pity you called the terrorists "freedom fighters". Their forefathers stole land from us and forcibly imposed their values on us. And all these people want to do is to continue the benefits of piracy/plunder/theft/ barbarianism.

Shobhan Paul, USA

Date: Thu, 01 Jun 2000, 19:09:41EST
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

To quote one of the lines in this story: "The army believed that freedom fighters were trying to sneak into Kashmir. "

Such lines show the spinelessness of the treacherous, pro-Paki, or a low-life pan-Islamist writing these articles. Any newspaper in a civilised country such as USA or UK would have shown more jingoistic patriotism towards these terrorist (freedom fighters) scums by blasting them on a routine basis and not by calling them freedom fighters.

Disgusting!

Deb Chatterjee, Kansas, USA

Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000, 14:10:48EST +0530
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

The article provided a lot of information on Kargil. Here's wishing all those who are there good luck.

Suresh V

Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000, 10:20:55EST -0400
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

Thank you Rediff, for letting us know what goes on up there and how our soldiers make light of their postings in such hostile environments. It is refreshing to know that there still are people committed to defending the nation. It would be interesting to know what motivated them to join the defence forces instead of working for any of the many private organizations promising good money and security. I have heard of many young professionals wanting to join the defence forces for a short duration of time just to experience the adventurism and the risks in the life of a soldier. But the ministry does not offer short term service.

I too wanted to serve in the armed forces for a few years but didn't because I learnt that if I were to be recruited as an NDA engineer I would have to put in at least fifteen years of service there. Now I am here in the States, but that pain of not being able to serve my country just doesn't go away. I believe that if I was permitted short term service, I just might have stayed on for good. But that was not to be.

Anyway, I would request Rediff to do an article on what the MoD and the general populace think about compulsory military service and short term military service.

Sujnan Shetty

Date: Fri, 02 Jun 2000, 09:49:24EST -0700
Subject: Kargil, One winter After

I was truly amazed to read Chindu Sreedharan's column. After India lost more then 500 soldiers, he still makes a statement like: "The army believed that freedom fighters were trying to sneak into Kashmir." It looks like Mr Sreedharan has lost his senses. Do you think the army would put on line the lives of 500 people if these were freedom fighters?

And this is not the first time this writer has written something that makes no logical sense.

Gaurang R Desai

Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2000, 14:11:47EST +0530
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

I enjoy reading your work. Do visit our site indiadefence.com and comment. We are new and hope to grow and improve. We look up to leaders like you. I had offered to write for your site but didn't get a reply or an acknowledgement. Today I have written a middle in the TOI which you may enjoy.

Do reply if you can.

Ranjit B Rai

Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2000, 17:33:20EST +0300
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

I sympathise with those brave soldiers who man these snow fields with courage and patriotism. They are certainly performing a thankless job guarding the country at those dizzy heights. I feel that the government and the defence establishment should do enough to better their lives. If there is something I as a citizen can do to help these brave men, please let me know. I am willing to contribute for this noble cause.

T Jayakumar, Kuwait

Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2000, 22:43:38EST +0000
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

Our bureaucracy and the government take far too long taking decisions and thereby put at considerable risk the lives of our valiant soldiers. Besides of course, keeping their eyes closed to the new technologies available or those that are being researched in western countries. Even as our respected ministers, bureaucrats and generals are currently discussing the need for the purchase of UAVs etc, the United States is testing weapons such as Assault Rifles with a grenade launcher incorporated into it along with a digital camera, a computer to measure the distance of an enemy soldier, a display screen and microphones attached, all of which will enable soldiers to protect themselves against enemy fire without even coming out of their shelters and to fire at the enemy with precision without risking their own lives.

I wish our army too could acquire such weapons which will be immensely useful in combating cross border terrorism.

Harish Rangwani

Date: Sat, 03 Jun 2000, 21:26:07EST -0400
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

Can you elaborate on the medical examinations our soldiers are put through and at what frequency? Are we doing all we can to ensure that the weather (if not paki firing) does not kill them? And once they come back, are we doing everything we can to get them back to full fitness? Or is it another instance of "classic Indian apathy"?

Gowthamram Nallan

Date: Sun, 04 Jun 2000, 12:28:56EST +0530
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

I simply loved the article on Kargil. Thanks a million for getting us this kind of first hand information. Also, the entire timeline of the Kargil war is very well put up.

Atul Garg

Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2000, 08:46:21EST -0500
Subject: Kargil, One Winter After

A well-written article. It has been some time since I last read such good style and strength of written English. Please post more of such brilliant articles.

Arul Mathew

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