One wonders how it was possible for Ms. Pratibha Patil to make disparaging remarks about the veil, distorting historical facts. She did not even think of the secular and pluralistic character of our country. It reminds me of the teachings of Thiruvalluvar, an ancient famous Tamil poet who once said: “One should use his/her tongue carefully without hurting anybody as the fire burns can be healed and not the burns inflicted by the tongue, and that even an ignorant person is alright in the midst of the learned people if he/she keeps silence.”
Ms. Patil, if elected, is going to be the President of India, one of the greatest democratic and secular countries in the world. It is therefore necessary for her to be cautious while expressing her views. Let her take a lesson from Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, the most popular President of India, to understand how a President should behave and function.
V.M. Khaleelur Rahman
Ambur, Tamil Nadu