Forever fans
Sir — Those who have grown up on a rich diet of comic books and fantasy fiction rarely outgrow them as an adult, swearing loyalty to their favourite franchises for life. The sprawling fandom that the wizarding world of Harry Potter, created by J.K. Rowling more than 25 years ago, continues to spawn in the form of themed weddings, fan merchandise and online clubs is a case in point. Interestingly, in a recent interview, the actor, Miriam Margolyes, who portrayed Professor Sprout in the Potter movies, berated fans who obsess about the franchise well into their adulthood. But fantasy fiction has always offered an escape from the horrors of reality. Can adult Potterheads be then blamed given the dark times that the world is going through?
Nikhil Sengupta, Howrah
Poll bugle
Sir — Now that the Election Commission of India has announced the schedule for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, every political party will be on its toes to come up with fresh sops to lure voters (“Scorcher 7-phase LS polls”, Mar 17). While the Bharatiya Janata Party is basing its poll campaign on ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’, the Congress is aiming to counter the saffron party’s narrative with ‘Nyay guarantees’. The regional political outfits have also been stepping up their game and making similar promises.
The recent consecration of the Ram mandir in Ayodhya has given a fillip to the BJP’s electoral pitch, leading party members to express confidence about winning 370 seats without the help of allies. However, the controversy regarding electoral bonds is sure to queer the BJP’s pitch. The Congress seems to be on a sticky wicket after failing to reach a consensus with the regional parties on seat-sharing. It must pick up the pace and take the fight to the BJP.
N. Mahadevan, Chennai
Sir — The Lok Sabha elections will be significant for both the Congress and the BJP. Firstly, it will be a testing ground for the leadership of the newly-anointed Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge. The poll outcome will determine whether Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and Kharge’s message of unity resonated with the voters.
However, the seven-phase voting schedule chalked out by the ECI is clearly meant to benefit the saffron party and raises concerns about the poll body’s neutrality.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
Sir — It is no secret that the spreading out of the Lok Sabha elections over 44 days will disproportionately favour the well-funded political parties. It will also help the ruling dispensation at the Centre to mobilise its resources and formulate separate strategies for each phase.
Fakhrul Alam, Calcutta
Sir — The Trinamul Congress’s rejection of the ECI’s seven-phased voting plan for the Lok Sabha elections is unwarranted (“Polls to stretch for 44 days in Bengal”, Mar 17). Widespread violence was reported across West Bengal during both the 2019 general elections and the polls to the state assembly in 2021. Moreover, 14 people were killed during the 2018 panchayat polls while the death toll during the 2022 civic body elections touched 60. The ECI is thus justified to sanction 920 companies of Central forces to the state. It should still be alert to violence perpetrated by the miscreants close to the ruling dispensation.
S.S. Paul, Nadia
War and peace
Sir — The geopolitical equations have been changing with the rise and the fall of superpowers (“TikTok, tick-tock”, Mar 17). The West, led by the United States of America, has dominated geopolitics since the Second World War. Further, the Non-Aligned Movement in the 1960s, the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and the rise of China as an economic superpower in the 1990s were other key geopolitical milestones of the past century. The 20-year war in Afghanistan and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza are instances of how such superpowers have been carrying out military operations in foreign territories in the name of peacekeeping. Ironically, the world has no other option but to look up to the West to foster peace.
Alok Ganguly, Nadia
Easy commute
Sir — The newly-launched first underwater Metro services of India, which runs between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade, has smoothened connectivity for thousands of passengers (“Cruise & crawl, a tale of two journeys”, Mar 16).
More expansion plans have been envisioned for the Calcutta Metro and soon the entire city will be connected through the rapid transport system. However, this raises concerns about the future of buses, autorickshaws, cars and other means of road transport. The government must take cognisance of this and rehabilitate those whose livelihood depends on road transport.
Soumyajit Saha, Murshidabad
Sir — The newly-launched Howrah Maidan-Esplanade line in the East-West Metro corridor of the Calcutta Metro is a boon for people living on both sides of the Hooghly river. The authorities should be applauded for the successful commencement of the Metro service in this crucial route that will not only save journey time but also provide a comfortable ride.
Romana Ahmed, Calcutta
Sir — The branding of the Calcutta Metro stations after eminent Bengali personalities, such as Uttam Kumar, Hemanta Mukherjee and Shahid Khudiram, is disconcerting. This makes it difficult for the passengers to correlate the stations with the place they intend to travel, leading to confusion. Metro stations should be renamed according to the actual station location to make it easier for commuters.
Tatai Barman, Calcutta