Furry business

Sir — It would be a dream come true if one could get a pet for just half an hour a day without having to worry about the responsibility of feeding or cleaning it. Cafés in China have thus started to ‘employ’ pets to play with patrons. The animals usually receive snacks as salaries, allowing owners to cut back on their food costs. These pet cafés attract a lot of customers and this business model has become so popular that pet owners are considering making resumes — clinginess and cute voices are highly sought-after job skills — to apply to cafés. However, one hopes that this trend does not catch on in India. With CEOs batting for inhumane work hours, Indian businesses will surely overwork dogs and cats and stress them out with 70-hour workweeks.

Ahana Mitra,
Calcutta

Clear verdict

Sir — The Supreme Court’s majority verdict to uphold Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955 will not only impact the political and the demographic landscape of Assam but also affect the wider issues of citizenship raised in the nation since the introduction of the National Register of Citizens and the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (“Date fixed”, Oct 21). The All Assam Students’ Union and the Opposition have welcomed the verdict. But the government of Assam is yet to comment on it. While it is essential to determine the extent of illegal immigration in India, the scope of the CAA should be widened to include Muslims in its ambit. The Supreme Court must monitor the situation in Assam and ensure that its verdict is obeyed.

Aayman Anwar Ali,
Calcutta

Sir — A five-member Constitution bench of the Supreme Court upheld Section 6A of the Citizenship Act, 1955, paving the way for the implementation of the 1985 Assam Accord between the Rajiv Gandhi government and the AASU. According to this agreement, those who had immigrated from Bangladesh before March 25, 1971, are eligible for citizenship. This ruling wiped out ambiguity and provided solace to displaced individuals living in Assam. The Supreme Court has shown great prudence in dealing with a sensitive matter like citizenship. This verdict might be in the context of Assam but the issue of illegal immigration is significant in many other regions.

Abhijit Roy,
Jamshedpur

Too young

Sir — The Supreme Court has issued guidelines to the Centre, the states, and the Union territories on preventing child marriages. This initiative is welcome. However, there is no clarity on whether the guidelines can effectively override the personal laws of various religious communities (“SC stern eye on child marriage”, Oct 19). Child marriage is an age-old tradition that causes great harm to underage girls. Women’s rights organisations must collaborate with panchayats to eradicate this custom. Although enforcing laws against child marriage is essential, education is key to overcoming society’s deeply ingrained conservatism.

Kiran Agarwal,
Calcutta

Sir — Personal laws should not override the fundamental rights of children. Even after 77 years of Independence, India continues to struggle with child marriage — a practice rooted in poverty, lack of education, and entrenched patriarchal norms — which leaves underage girls vulnerable to early pregnancies, health complications and domestic violence. The Supreme Court’s intervention is a reminder that laws alone cannot bring change; they must be supported by education, awareness and a collective commitment to upholding children’s rights.

Dhananjay Sinha,
Calcutta

Costly morsel

Sir — The increased costs of vegetables are affecting consumers, restaurants, and catering services (“Inflation surges to 5.49%”, Oct 15). Some consumers are seeking alternatives or doing without key ingredients while restaurants and catering services are considering menu adjustments to cope with the financial strain.

Jayanthy Subramaniam,
Mumbai

Sir — Tomatoes are an important dietary source of lycopene, a powerful antioxidant that is linked to reduced risk of heart disease and cancer besides being rich in vitamin C, potassium, folate, and vitamin K. Potatoes, tomatoes and onions are vital ingredients in the Indian kitchen. Their increased cost can disrupt the monthly budget of households. Daily wage workers and pensioners are the worst hit. The government must control inflation and bring down the price of necessities.

Jubel D’Cruz,
Mumbai

Sir — Adverse weather conditions in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra have caused the prices of vegetables to shoot up. One hopes the weather improves soon so that food inflation comes down.

A.P. Thiruvadi,
Chennai

Sir — Neither the state governments nor the Centre has taken steps to arrest inflation, which has made necessities such as vegetables and public transport increasingly unaffordable. It is ironic how, at the same time, the Union finance minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, is trying to convince us that the standard of living has improved in this country.

Janaki Mahadevan,
Chennai

Serious threat

Sir — Embankment erosion has been causing great distress to thousands in West Bengal (“Minister faces ire over erosion”, Oct 18). Several villages in Murshidabad, Malda and South 24 Parganas have lost acres of cultivable land and homes. Regular dredging of rivers is thus of utmost importance. The Central government should work together with the state government on this issue. Soil erosion is a serious threat to lives and livelihoods.

Pratima Manimala,
Howrah