Hand in hand

Sir — June is celebrated as Pride Month around the world to commemorate the struggles and achievements of the LGBTQIA+ community. In recent years, social acceptance of queer people has increased manifold. Social media is replete with celebrations of queer identity and love by cisgender, heterosexual individuals, who consider themselves to be allies. But being an ally is much more than waving a flag or sharing a picture. A good ally must respect boundaries, provide financial support whenever possible — a significant number of LGBTQIA+ youth are homeless and unemployed — and actively speak up against discrimination. Allies should constantly sensitise themselves to the evolving needs of queer people if they truly intend to be helpful.

Anamika Saha, Calcutta

Long darkness

Sir — There seems to be no end to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine (“100 days later, war rages on”, June 5). But the people of Ukraine are still standing strong. The decision of Oleksandr Chaplik, a dairy and livestock farmer, to stay behind in the country to feed the people is commendable. In spite of widespread condemnation and economic sanctions, Vladimir Putin refuses to budge. This has led to unimaginable suffering for the common people. Russia must come to its senses.

K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam

Sir — The Russia-Ukraine war has destroyed the innocence of a generation of children. It is heartbreaking to see the images of Ukrainian children pretending to man check-posts with toy guns. Instead of a safe and joyous childhood, these kids have been forced to navigate the reality of living in a war-torn nation.

Tannistha Ghosh, Calcutta

Too late

Sir — The death of Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, after performing at the Nazrul Mancha has led the custodian of the venue to announce that it plans to tweak the conditions under which the venue is rented out (“Nazrul Mancha wakes up”, June 3). This decision, unfortunately, has come too late. Such a delayed response after a tragedy has become the norm. The Calcutta Metropolitan Development Authority is one of the most inefficient civic bodies. It has said that the organisers of any programme at the Nazrul Mancha will have to keep 50 to 60 seats vacant. But this will not be a viable solution — the crowd at KK’s live concert was double the capacity of the venue. There are several critical problems that are still being overlooked. This incident must be a wake-up call for the authorities.

Amit Kumar Brahmo, Calcutta

Sir — The untimely demise of KK has raised many questions. Although KK died of a heart attack, many believe that the overcrowding at Nazrul Mancha, faulty air conditioning, and the lack of emergency medical personnel at the venue significantly contributed to his death. The organisers should have planned the event better and ensured the health and safety of the singer.

Ritabhari Chanda, Hooghly

Brewing crisis

Sir — The incumbent president of the United States of America, Joe Biden, has appealed to the Congress to pass new federal gun legislations restricting the access to firearms. He lamented that the country has become a “killing field”. This comes on the heels of the death of 19 children and two adults at the hands of a lone gunman at a school in Uvalde, Texas. The difference of opinion between Democrat and Republican lawmakers stands in the way of any effective legislation. The former Republican president, Donald Trump, and senators, such as Ted Cruz, continue to resist gun restrictions and have instead pushed for increased mental health services and security measures at schools. As long as this tussle continues, America will not be able to solve its gun problem.

Haridasan Rajan, Kozhikode

Right direction

Sir — India has successfully tested its nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, Agni-4, with a range of 4,000 kilometres. The launch was carried out from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island in Odisha. It validated all operational parameters as well as the reliability of the system. The two previous successful launches of the long-range, surface to surface, ballistic missile were in January 2017 and December 2018. This is a big step forward for self-sufficiency in the field of missile technology.

Shovanlal Chakraborty, Calcutta

Be alert

Sir — India must prepare itself for the fourth wave of the coronavirus pandemic. Recently, the country logged 4,270 new Covid-19 cases, most of which were reported in Kerala. The first two waves of the pandemic were brutal. The third wave may have been less deadly in comparison, but we should not be complacent. The coronavirus is spreading rapidly in several states. We must remain cautious and continue to take precautions. The Indian economy has been decimated by the frequent lockdowns that were imposed in the last two years. The common people will not be able to handle any more financial strain.

Mansi Parihar, Ujjain

Fragile life

Sir — It was shocking to learn that a woman allegedly took her life after she lost 20 sovereigns of gold jewellery and three lakh rupees in online gambling. This is not the first time such an incident has come to light. The president of Pattali Makkal Katchi, Anbumani Ramadoss, has urged the Tamil Nadu government to enact strict laws against online gambling. This menace must be addressed without delay.

N. Viswanathan, Coimbatore