Dear Sir,

Extremist ideologies pose the major threat facing the world now. Militant groups like the Islamic State (IS) want the world to remain in a permanent state of unrest and chaos so that they have the ideal conditions to flourish. It is alarming that these groups are spreading their tentacles globally.
First, it was thought that IS was confined to the Middle East but it was a wrong assumption. The group or its affiliates are active in Europe, Africa, America and Asia now.
The New Year began with militants striking terror in places like Istanbul, Jakarta and Jalalabad. Attacks in these came in the wake of multiple terror strikes in Paris in November, which killed  130 people. These attacks underline the fact that the IS is spreading its wings beyond the borders of Iraq and Syria, spreading chaos and bloodshed far and wide.
The international community has to join hands to end the growing extremist menace.  Full-fledged military operations must be carried out against not only the IS but also against similar terror outfits.
IS’s main strength lies in its access to large financial resources from the sale of oil derived from fields it has captured in Iraq and Syria and from ransom for freeing people kidnapped by it. Groups like these can only be defeated if all countries launch a joint campaign against them

Ramesh G Jethwani
(e-mail address supplied)

Discrimination still rampant in India

Dear Sir,

It is unfortunate to know that a low-caste university student in India committed suicide recently.
The student, Rohit Vemula, was a member of an association which fights for the rights of Dalit (formerly known as untouchable) students on the campus. He was one of five Dalit students who were protesting against their expulsion from the university’s housing facility.
Vemula’s suicide points to the fact that less-privileged communities in  India still face discrimination.

Ramachandran Nair
(Address supplied)