Sir — Many had hoped that the Covid-19 induced lockdown would bring families closer, but in reality it seems to have put a strain on relationships. Reports indicate that divorce rates are expected to go up in some countries including the United Kingdom, while China has already witnessed an upsurge. All healthy relationships require personal space and, as such, affection needs to grow organically.

Ira Pradhan,

Darjeeling

Jokes apart

Sir — The editorial, “Priceless family jewel” (April 11), rightly points out that the first information report lodged against an unknown person in Gujarat for attempting to sell the Statue of Unity for Rs 30,000 crore on OLX is funnier than the advertisement itself. There is no doubt that a large number of people would find the advertisement hilarious and have a hearty laugh. It is true that there would not have been such a furore had the Taj Mahal or any of the “minarets” that politicians such as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, consider to be ‘foreign’ to Indian culture been put up for sale.

Although the administration should refrain from reacting so harshly to such attempts at humour, people must also take care to not cross the line. Jokes, no matter how well-intended, must not be made at the expense of other people’s sentiments.

Ashok Kumar Ghosh,

Calcutta

Sir — Why is the advertisement for the sale of a monument shocking people when there is a long history of the sale of territories and islands? The Virgin Islands were bought by the United States of America from Denmark only a little more than a hundred years ago. Moreover, it was only last year that the American president, Donald Trump, was actually considering the possibility of purchasing Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.

The lodging of an FIR against an unknown person for attempting to sell the Statue of Unity is an overreaction. Those who are decrying this act would do well to remember that the government has been trying to privatize Air India and other public sector undertakings for some time now.

R. Narayanan,

Navi Mumbai

Sir — While the advertisement for the sale of the Statue of Unity is amusing, the reason cited by the individual for doing so is important. India is in dire need of healthcare infrastructure and medical supplies, not statues glorifying the past.

Arindam Sen,

Calcutta