Identity crisis

Sir — Ancient yogic wisdom says that we often become what we most hate. Viewers’ response to the popular OTT series, Baby Reindeer, which was released recently on Netflix, proves this belief to be true. The series follows a comedian, Donny, whose life unravels as he is stalked, harassed and violated repeatedly by a woman named Martha. So moved were viewers by Donny’s plight in the series that they tracked down Fiona Harvey, the real-life woman who apparently inspired Martha’s character in the series, and began harassing her. While evoking such a visceral response in its viewers bears testament to the success of the series, it is ironic that the audience has subjected Harvey to the same kind of violence in real life that they had been enraged by on reel.

Suman Biswas, Siliguri

Make way

Sir — The chief minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal, has raised the issue of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, possibly retiring from politics in 2025 when the latter turns 75, according to the norms of the Bharatiya Janata Party (“Kejri’s PM googly...”, May 12). Indeed, senior leaders like Modi should take voluntary retirements to allow young politicians to come to the fore and frame policies that are more apt for the current times. Modi’s stepping down would send out the message that a political party does not depend solely on the leadership of one person. After all, even the great, mythical politician, Vidura, had to retire from Hastinapur.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

Sir — Arvind Kejriwal’s query regarding whether Narendra Modi will follow the retirement rule of the BJP has led to debates. This policy has been in place for several years with no less than the Union home minister, Amit Shah, noting ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha elections that the BJP had not given tickets to candidates above 75 years of age. Kejriwal’s query suggests that voting for Modi would mean that Shah would helm the country as the prime minister sometime in the future. It has also sparked the worry that Shah will not fulfil Modi’s ‘guarantees’. Shah, however, lost no time in refuting Kejriwal’s statements (“...Catches Amit Shah on the wrong foot”, May 12). If the INDIA bloc wins the elections, Modi will not have to face the dilemma of whether to commit to the rules or bend them.

G. David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Some relief

Sir — The Supreme Court has passed an interim stay order preventing the immediate termination of the jobs of nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff recruited by the 2016 West Bengal School Service Commission (“Stay for now”, May 13). The court rightly said that it would be unfair to set aside all the appointments if the tainted and untainted candidates can be segregated. The onus is on the WBSSC to release data separating the valid appointments from the illegal ones. The government too must take quick action on this once the data are available.

S.S. Paul, Nadia

Sir — The interim stay on the Calcutta High Court order cancelling the appointments of nearly 26,000 teaching and non-teaching staff has offered temporary relief to the candidates. The government needs to address the concerns of all the parties involved, including the candidates who were recruited illegally as they, too, are victims of a corrupt system.

Soumyajit Saha, Murshidabad

Turbulent air

Sir — The resolution of the disputes and the subsequent withdrawal of the strike by crew members of Air India Express is heartening (“AI Express crew call off stir”, May 10). The strike had disrupted flight schedules and resulted in several cancellations, inconveniencing passengers.

While the Tata group is adept at handling mergers and acquisitions, its lackadaisical attitude regarding Air India Express is concerning. The crew members of Air India, too, have faced a significant shift in their work culture owing to the takeover by the Tatas and must adapt to the changes.

Ardhendu Chakraborty, Calcutta

Sir — In spite of making a steady recovery from the losses incurred during the pandemic, the aviation sector faces multiple challenges. Mergers and acquisitions over the last decade have not only failed to address consumers’ problems but have also been a strain on the employees of various airlines.

Moreover, the domestic aviation industry has virtually become a duopoly between Indigo and the airlines owned by the Tatas, resulting in exorbitant airfares and poor services. Public spats between the crew and management over petty issues tarnish the reputation of the carriers. A competitive environment that ensures sustainable growth can save the aviation sector.

Vijay Singh Adhikari, Nainital

Hope extinguished

Sir — Richard Slayman, the recipient of a porcine kidney through xenotransplantation at Massachusetts General Hospital, has passed away two months after the surgery (“Pig kidney transplant pioneer no more”, May 13). This is unfortunate. The operation had ignited hope among many terminally-ill patients worldwide. Hopefully, researchers will soon find newer ways to conduct successful xenotransplantations.

Hemanta Sasmal, Howrah

Read for pleasure

Sir — Young people are no longer reading books. The reasons for this include digital distractions, crumbling educational systems and alternative forms of entertainment. Youngsters are glued to electronic devices. Our education system focuses less on reading for pleasure and more on academic reading. Creating engaging environments, providing diverse reading material, and fostering a culture that values reading for pleasure will encourage budding readers.

Ashim Kumar Chakraborty, Guwahati