'Your article is a hate dispatch by a BJP baiter'

Unfair to link church attacks to accusations against AAP
How can such articles, without any shred of proof, be posted on your website? ("Delhi church vandalism and attack on AAP betray the same fingerprints: those of the BJP") The author starts with relating two completely different incidents and then blames them on the BJP. How can they be accused of attacking the churches when they have not even remotely been in the picture, or a complaint filed against them by anyone? Similarly, how can the actions of a disgruntled group of ex-AAP workers be described as those of the BJP?  It seems BJP is not alone in flinging mud, but at least they have an excuse ‒ elections. What excuse does the author have other than pure hatred?

I am neither a BJP member nor a follower, I am an avid reader of your website. ‒ Naveen Kumar

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The article is a garbled version and a hate dispatch by BJP baiter. You should not have published such a coloured and condemnable piece by one who will never miss an opportunity to maligning the nationalists. ‒ J Radhakrishnan

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This is a very frightening scenario. ‒ Vinita Kapoor

E-versions of all newspapers will carry Modi ad too
First of all, I would like to congratulate the author for writing such an insightful article on perhaps the most dramatised Delhi assembly election that took place. ("BJP uses legal loophole to blitz Delhi with front-page ads day after campaigning ends.") Also, thank you for educating the public about Section 126 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951. ‒ Gokulananda Nandan

Unfortunate that headline carried the word ‘bakchod’
It is unfortunate that Scroll has now started running stories with headlines that have words like ‘bakchod'. (""They’re just jokes': All India Bakchod explains why they took down their controversial videos.") I have been an avid reader and great admirer of Scroll stories, as they are different from the mainstream media. But of late, I am seeing stories that are not in good taste, which is hugely disappointing . ‒ Rajender

Even as a child, Leander's spirit was obvious
I've seen Leander from when he was a tiny tot, for his parents lived in our neighbourhood in Kolkata. ("Leander Paes has a lesson for all Indians: lunge that extra bit, never stop struggling to excel.") Even today, my nephews are his good friends.  I've watched him compete against them and others at the Dalhousie Institute, a club in Kolkata they members of. Even in those days, the competitive spirit was there for all to see.

Yes, there are his 15 Grand Slam trophies and the huge earning from tennis matches, but what sets him apart from every other Indian sportsperson is the way he raises his game when he plays for India ‒ and every time. ‒ Thomas Chacko

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We have just read your article on Leander. Thank you so very much, it is a very perceptive and humane article. ‒ Vece and Julie Paes

Problems filing sexual harassment complaints
Reporting sexual harassment is not easy especially if an entire organisation decides to muffle your voice. ("What I learnt about trying to file a sexual harassment complaint to the police.") Here’s my recent personal experience:  The local police station under which I have lived all my life (I am 42-years-old now) made me wait for three hours, that too at night, with not another woman in sight, before they finally took my complaint against sexual harassment. This, after I banged the can of pepper spray on the table and reminded them about the state of affairs in Kolkata.

I had to go through this despite the fact that my father is a retired judge who also served as a member of West Bengal Human Rights Commission. My eldest brother is the chief judge of Calcutta Metropolitan Court under whose jurisdiction the local police station is.

I realised that if this is how I get treated, imagine the plight of less privileged women. I am determined to continue my fight to bring the culprits to book more so because it is an entire organisation that is trying to brush the issue of sexual harassment at workplace under the carpet.  ‒ Nasreen

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A most heart- warming piece. The author, Gopika Bakshi, took the right call at every stage.  ‒ Mohit Satyanand

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The article was good and gave me an insight, since I do have a couple of issues I will be dealing with. Thank you.  ‒ Bernadine Pramodhan

Ye hai Mumbai meri jaan!
I doubt if the matter was even escalated to the CBEC chairman. ("Why I will always call my city Bombay.") Though it may sound absurd, most of the stuff that is allowed is decided by the guys who see it in the first instance. Who these people are is a subject matter of another debate. Suffice it to say ‘ye hai Mumbai meri jaan'!. No one, including the people of Maharashtra, use Mumbai as a word.  Changing the name has actually dented this city's fortunes. ‒ Tanveer Giri

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Bombay has a flavour of dreams; Mumbai is a forced political reality. ‒ Ravi Shekhar

India is a bunch of hypocrites and homophobes
I read the article on Karan Johar by Nandini Ramnath. ("Karan Johar all but comes out at All India Bakchod comedy event. Or does he?") You obviously have a very good understanding of the Indian society and how difficult it might be for someone such as Johar to publicly come out as gay. Being a gay Indian who has been living in France for the last five years, I always think of my country of origin as a bunch of hypocrites and homophobes, and I always thought that someone such as Karan Johar should have come out publicly and perhaps used his position to further push the equality agenda in his films. Your article made me realise that in a country such as India, this would have surely not worked and what he has been doing so far, perhaps is the best way to deal with such an issue in a conservative and religious country. ‒ Yash Ruia 

AAP did not defend itself, it stated facts
The BJP is desperate and hopping mad and it thought it has made a discovery of the century.  ("This one chart shows why the BJP cannot lecture AAP on political funding.") If the BJP loses Delhi elections, it would be a shame that the leadership would not be able to wipe out easily. AAP did not defend itself but stated facts, and that has more credibility than “attacking” its opponent. One should be amused at the tension the BJP is going through with its most prestigious contest. ‒ Surjit Kohli

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Just because the other party is a bigger thief, it does not allow AAP to do the same, because AAP plays politics on the philosophy of honesty. ‒  Vijay Prakash

My pain disappeared because of homeopathy
If homeopathy is “pure bunkum” as Simon Singh writes ("Homeopathy is pure bunkum and let nobody (not even Modi) tell you otherwise"), I would like to inform the following: In March 2003, I experienced severe pain in my right hand, from the elbow down to the wrist. After consulting my general physician, I was referred to a consultant neurologist ‒  a British-educated Asian ‒  who asked for an X-Ray of my right arm. They couldn’t figure anything out.  Next was MRI, which too did not show anything conclusive. Finally, a friend suggested homeopathy. In about six weeks, my pain disappeared completely.  It’s almost 11 years since. Therefore, Simon S, there is success and failure with both the systems. One should use common sense. ‒  Armchair Utopian

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I am really sorry to say, this story is a foolish attempt to mix homeopathy and politics. First, learn what homeopathy is about and how it works. Don’t just go by a survey. Homeopathy is science. For the sake of argument, and only for the sake of argument, if homeopathy can make clinical improvement just by exploiting the body's self-healing power, then what is wrong with it? ‒  Sudeshna

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I found the article biased. It seemed like a one-way perspective from someone who seems to dismiss the popularity of homeopathy. The author seems to dismiss everyone who has benefitted from homeopathy by calling it quackery. A better article would have been one that would cover both perspectives rather than a biased and probably motivated opinion. My family has greatly benefitted from homeopathy for allergies ‒  skin, nasal and even hypothyroidism. ‒  Varun Sawhney

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About 22 years ago, I wanted to know how homeopathy works. I enrolled myself in a basic course. It was not difficult to grasp that the multiple dilutions only strengthen the effect just like a vaccine.  It is the quacks who have given it a bad name, people who might have completed a course like me and set up a practise.

For those who do benefit from homoeopathy can’t think of allopathy on a regular basis. ‒  Sophie Johari

Modi’s dressing and over-enthusiasm doesn’t matter
I can well understand the author arching an eyebrow and taking the ho-hum high ground in this mocking piece. ("Six hilarious ways Modi tried to match Obama’s cool quotient [but failed miserably].") The article will click with a sniggering junta that's so caught up with outward appearances that they do not understand anything beneath the surface.

I would gently remind her and redirect her to the reality that Modi is the PM of the country whose primary job is to work in the best interests of the country in whichever way he can, and that doesn't necessarily involve a "classy" appearance or attitude that might get her approval. He is not a movie star whose predominant focus is on the way he looks, speaks and generally conducts himself.

It's apparent that the author would prefer a maun Manmohan Singh who could stand stiffly and stretch his hands out to Obama and talk stuffily (assuming he did) during bilateral talks that led nowhere. Probably in a minority in this frivolity-obsessed republic, I would certainly prefer a man who cracks down where he should, delivers on his promises and takes the soft tone in the right conditions. His dressing and over-enthusiasm or lack of the right diction (which, it seems to me, is the real sore thumb with the author) matter zilch. He makes my country's life more worthwhile and that's not just far, far more important, that is ALL that is important. ‒  Seema Kamdar

Nuclear energy is corporate greed
This is a well written article that every Indian must read. ("The ‘breakthrough’ in Indo-US nuclear deal will bleed Indians every which way.") It is corporate greed that has got the whole world into trouble. And our politicians are helping them. Every literate person worth his salt knows the dangers of nuclear energy, and we have people applauding the Indo-US nuclear deal. Keep publishing such well written articles. ‒  Sudhakaran

Tamil literature documented trade in Southeast Asia
Please do interact with Tamil scholars. Tamil literature documented the trade that took place in Southeast Asia, Arabia and China.  ("Step aside, Gujaratis: Tamilians were India's earliest recorded maritime traders.") Brahmins were sent by the Tamil kings (Chola dynasty) to guide and support the local kings there. Because of this, many Sanskrit words were incorporated in Javanese, Bali and the Malay language. Local customs are Tamilian too... the Javanese/Balinese/Sumatra Islanders follow the Tamilian marriage customs. ‒ Senthil Durai T

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