Absurd ideas
Sir — What does Maxim Gorky have to do with chocolate cupcakes or, for that matter, what is the link between a pot of honey and The Great Gatsby? The answer is nothing at all. These bizarre connections are cooked up by ‘bookstagrammers’ — the new-age book reviewers. Apparently, the way to the modern reader’s heart is through staged photographs of books along with a set of outlandish items ranging from potpourri and biryani to towels and nail files. The waste that is generated by this industry is not just material, it is also intellectual. One should not judge a book by its cover, but one cannot help but judge these ‘reviewers’ by the vacuity of their content.
Tania Bhattacharjee, Calcutta
Divide and rule
Sir — “Riots don’t take place under our rule,” the Union home minister, Amit Shah, had proudly proclaimed sometime ago. The situation in Manipur and Haryana belies this claim. Only a detailed enquiry will reveal who first lit the fuse in these states but what can be said without a doubt is that the Bharatiya Janata Party fuelled the violence in both states by stoking religious and ethnic tensions.
It will not be surprising if more communal poison is spread in the coming months, especially in North India where the BJP needs to consolidate its position before the upcoming general elections. Since it cannot use the rhetoric of good governance given its poor track record, communal disharmony will be its preferred electoral plank.
Shovanlal Chakraborty, Calcutta
Sir — Manipur and Nuh are proof that violence has become commonplace in India. The foundational principle of pluralism is under severe strain owing to the BJP government led by Narendra Modi. People should unite against the government’s nefarious agenda of staying in power by creating divisions in society.
Jahangir Ali, Mumbai
Valid concern
Sir — The former governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Satyapal Malik, is afraid of the lengths to which the Bharatiya Janata Party can go to win the upcoming general elections (“Satyapal airs pre-poll fear”, Aug 3). Malik is from within the sangh parivar and has worked with this government. His worries thus cannot be dismissed. Moreover, the hype around the Balakot strike before the 2019 elections lends credence to Malik’s fears.
Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta
Out of school
Sir — It is not surprising to learn about the poor attendance in government schools in Bihar (“Survey finds ‘schooling emergency’ in Bihar”, Aug 5). The Bihar government is not bothered about education. This cannot go on. The paucity of healthy mid-day meals and free books and uniforms as well as absent teachers affect attendance.
Moreover, school teachers run private tuitions and pay more attention to those. Students who attend tuitions do not turn up at school. Some of these concerns have also been highlighted by the economist, Jean Drèze. His suggestions must be taken into consideration and implemented by the Bihar government.
Shyamal Thakur, East Burdwan
Unequal land
Sir — Sunil Mondal, a Trinamul Congress member of Parliament, has issued an unconditional apology for pushing and threatening a toll plaza employee (“TMC MP apology after video outrage”, Aug 5). One wonders what would have happened if the toll plaza employee had pushed and threatened Mondal “in the heat of the moment”. There is no equality in India.
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
Break the cycle
Sir — Mehmal Sarfraz revealed the ugly face of child labour in Pakistan in her article, “Vicious cycle” (Aug 1). Child labour is prohibited in India too. But hardly ever is any action taken against those who employ children. Extreme poverty drives vulnerable children to work to support their families.
Cycle of poverty
In the concluding sentence of her piece, Sarfraz sums up by saying that the cycle will continue until “laws are properly implemented and justice is done regardless of class and privilege”. She is absolutely right.
Jahar Saha, Calcutta
Keep shining
Sir — When we speak of an Asian success story, Singapore and Japan are the first names that come to mind (“Bright spot”, Aug 5). Both these countries have progressed to great heights by dint of their disciplined governance and zero tolerance towards corruption. We grew up hearing stories about how even littering in Singapore attracted heavy penalties. Probity in public life also has been their forte. Singapore should thus set its house in order so that it continues to be a shining example of progress in Asia.
Amit Brahmo, Calcutta
Parting shot
Sir — Chandrayaan-3 has successfully entered the lunar orbit. This is a significant milestone for the Indian Space Research Organisation. The agency is now on track to attempt a soft landing on the lunar surface on August 23.
Md. Maimul Safui, Howrah
