Why the panic reaction?

Sir, - Your Editorial ``A sign of desperation'' (Aug. 11) is a correct interpretation of the Government's action of pressing the panic button. Draconian measures like TADA will only alienate the people of the Kashmir valley.

The very fact that the Government had declared the entire valley (except Ladakh) as disturbed area, that too after the Agra fiasco, will send wrong signals to the world; the message will be that it is not a ``disturbed'' area but a ``disputed'' one.

More and more human rights violations could be triggered off either by security forces or by the so-called ``jehadi'' forces. Instead of confidence-building measures (CBMs), we are creating no-confidence measures and exposing our confusion.

We are falling in the trap laid by Pakistan. After Lahore, it was Kargil; and after Agra, Pakistan is creating a more dangerous and explosive proxy war right inside the valley. We only hope that the Government will act with confidence and the entire nation will be with the Armed Forces in their sacrifice and service.

Wg. Cdr. (retd.) V. Sundaresan,

Hyderabad

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