Brother tongue
Sir — Most of us have been guilty of reproducing the accents of our favourite actors or of someone close to us. However, research has found that adopting a different accent serves as a defence mechanism. It has come to light that American Gen-Zers have been adopting British accents — this can be attributed to their increased exposure to British pop culture — whenever they confront a difficult situation. Many of them are of the opinion that doing so makes the situation more palatable. Can the British complain about mimicry after imposing the English language on half of the world’s population in the first place?
Irina Maity,Delhi
Elusive leader
Sir — A 10-party delegation from strife-torn Manipur requesting an audience with the prime minister, Narendra Modi, was left waiting as the latter embarked on his official visit to the United States of America (“Dinner first. Burp! Manipur later”, June 21). It reflects the Centre’s apathy towards the ongoing violence in Manipur and how it figures on Modi’s list of priorities.
This also exposes the Bharatiya Janata Party’s opportunistic politics in the Northeast which includes canvassing for votes before elections and not taking steps to mitigate the issues specific to the region when elected to power.
Manzar Imam,Calcutta
Sir — The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has appealed for peace in communal violence-hit Manipur. This is in stark contrast to the stoic silence maintained by the prime minister on the issue (“Two faces”, June 21). The Congress has rightly questioned the Bharatiya Janata Party government’s apparent move of outsourcing its political responsibility to its ideological parent organisation.
The silence maintained by Narendra Modi is indicative of his usual practice of being averse to subjects that are unpalatable, even if they require immediate attention. The recent conflagration stemmed from an old scar: unequal access to sparse resources. It would require patience and sustained engagement with the stakeholders. But does the saffron party have the time or willingness to do so?
S.S. Paul,Nadia
Fresh tensions
Sir — The chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has penned a letter to the governor, C.V. Ananda Bose, criticising Raj Bhavan’s decision to celebrate June 20 as West Bengal Foundation Day (“Bose celebrates ‘foundation day’”, June 21). This is justified. Banerjee has rightly pointed out that West Bengal was created through the painful process of Partition that led to the displacement of millions of people. Therefore, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s sustained efforts to mark June 20 as Paschim Banga Divas reek of political propaganda.
June 20 is observed as World Refugee Day. Instead of bickering, the political parties should mark this occasion to sympathise with the plight of refugees.
Khokan Das,Calcutta
Sir — The Bengal governor, C.V. Ananda Bose, has clearly overstepped his constitutional boundaries by announcing the celebration of the state foundation day on June 20 (“Relevant past”, June 22). The decision to mark cultural and historical events relevant to Bengal must be ratified by the state government. Therefore, the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, is well within her rights to object to the governor’s unilateral move.
Her argument that the creation of West Bengal was a traumatic event and, thus, must not be celebrated is acceptable. Bose’s action, therefore, indicates a further deterioration in the ties between the state government and thegovernor’s office.
S. Kamat,Alto Santa Cruz, Goa
Sir — The former cricket captain, Sourav Ganguly, called on the governor, C.V. Ananda Bose, on the day Raj Bhavan celebrated the West Bengal Foundation Day (“What a day to sip tea at Raj Bhavan!”, June 21). This has led to speculation.
Although sources called the meeting just another “courtesy call”, Ganguly’s actions indicate otherwise. His recent appointment as the brand ambassador of Tripura — a Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled state — and his occasional hobnobbing with the saffron party are proof of this.
M.C. Vijay Shankar,Chennai
Fair warning
Sir — Renu Kohli’s column, “Keep calm” (June 13), rightly argues that the euphoria surrounding the 7.2% growth in the GDP in the recently-ended fiscal year may not be sustainable owing to a combination of factors. The export business was not robust as a result of the war in Ukraine. Hotel and allied industries, too, displayed steep slowdowns. The economic downturns caused by the pandemic are still not over. These show that the growth trend might be short-lived.
Sukhendu Bhattacharjee,Hooghly
Parting shot
Sir — The occasion of rath yatra marks not only the beginning of the ensuing Durga Puja celebrations but also the jatra season. It was heartening to learn that the bookings for jatra shows have seen an uptick this year.
Amit Brahmo,Calcutta