Equally choosy

Sir — An advertisement for prospective grooms on a matrimonial website has drawn widespread attention owing to the bride’s seemingly extensive demands. The ad says that hopeful grooms must be graduates from one of India’s premier educational institutions, in addition to having an annual salary of at least Rs 30 lakh. While many have mocked the bride’s elitist expectations, some have applauded the woman’s gumption for having high standards and no qualms about stating her choices outright. If society can force a woman to fulfil unrealistic standards, why should she not be allowed to pick and choose?

Aratrik Roy, Hyderabad

Harsh judgment

Sir — The speed with which the Supreme Court suspended the Bombay High Court order acquitting the academic, G.N. Saibaba, and ordering his release, cannot be countenanced (“Acquitted, suspended...”, Oct 16). The verdict is all the more perplexing as the accused is wheelchair-bound and not likely to be able to escape. It is one thing to be judicially stern and quite another to be inconsiderate.

S.S. Paul, Nadia

Sir — The suspension of the Bombay High Court order acquitting the activist, G.N. Saibaba, by the Supreme Court aligns with the wishes of the ruling dispensation at the Centre. In view of Saibaba’s physical disabilities and multiple ailments, it is harsh to keep him in prison. Is it fair to punish Saibaba and other public intellectuals like him just because they seek changes in the political and social order for the benefit of the impoverished masses? Dubbing those who stand for radical or revolutionary change as ‘urban Naxals’ and incarcerating them for expressing their ideological inclinations are alarming for a democracy.

G. David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Sir — The stay on G.N. Saibaba’s acquittal must have come as a big jolt for his family and well-wishers. How, then, did Pragya Singh Thakur, a member of Parliament from the Bharatiya Janata Party, get bail on medical grounds in spite of facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, after which she was seen playing cricket and dancing? Why was Saibaba’s ill health not enough to grant him relief?

K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam

Stay in line

Sir — Governors should act as per the Constitution rather than being a representative of the ruling party at the Centre. The governor of Kerala is unnecessarily disrupting the smooth functioning of the Left Democratic Front government. He has claimed that governors have the power to remove ministers who criticise them. It is not clear which Article in the Constitution states this clause.

Ajay S. Kumar, Trivandrum

Justice denied

Sir — The release of the 11 prisoners convicted of raping Bilkis Bano in 2002 is a travesty of justice. The Indian penal system may have tried to shift from a retributive to a reformative one, but punishments must be commensurate to the crime. The convicts have enjoyed over 1,000 days of parole, and one rapist was further booked on charges of molestation during that time. This reveals that their release was politically motivated. Such a decision puts society at risk.

Shayan Das, North 24 Parganas

Gone silent

Sir — Noted music director of yesteryear, Sapan Sengupta, who was part of the musical duo, SapanJagmohan, passed away at the age of 90 in Mumbai. His melodious compositions for Bollywood films of the 1960s and 1970s still resonate with us.

Abhijit Roy, Jamshedpur