Regressive thinking
Sir — Education alone cannot ensure character development. Recently, the singer, Chinmayi Sripaada, took to X to share a list of demands a man made to his potential bride. The man, Sripaada claimed, holds a PhD degree and his potential bride is a doctor. The list specified that the woman could not work until she bore the family a child and that the woman’s career was merely a dispensable ‘hobby’. When state governments feel entitled to ask State institutions to not assign night shifts to women and mandate girls to not go to tuition after 8 pm, can we expect citizens to really respect women’s autonomy?
Srilata Banerjee,
Calcutta
Critical eye
Sir — The Union minister of commerce and industry, Piyush Goyal, criticised multinational e-commerce players for “predatory pricing”, which, he argued, affects small retailers. While even developed economies have accused e-commerce giants of predatory tactics, the market is governed by the demand and supply chain, which dictates the pricing. State regulators must be cautious about intervening in private pricing mechanisms. Global and local experiences suggest that price controls can lead to shortages, inferior quality and illegal markets. We need ensure that no player has a monopoly in any sector.
N. Sadhasiva Reddy,
Bengaluru
Sir — Piyush Goyal has clarified that he is not against e-commerce and is in favour of foreign investments after his comments against predatory pricing drew flak. Goyal’s earlier remark about predatory pricing had raised concerns among stakeholders. Later, he said that online trade must benefit all stakeholders, including small retailers and domestic players. He should have refrained from making such a comment regarding one of the fastest-growing sectors in India.
Ditipriya Sanyal,
Calcutta
Beat a retreat
Sir — After a decade of free run in Parliament, the prime minister, Narendra Modi, must now accept his party’s dependence on allies for survival (“Third retreat”, Aug 23). The allies’ interests led to three contentious decisions being withdrawn in quick succession. If the Bharatiya Janata Party clashes with its allies, it will destabilise the government.
Anthony Henriques,
Mumbai
Tense ties
Sir — Indian diplomacy faces a challenge after the departure of the former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, from Bangladesh (“Another way”, Aug 23). While the Narendra Modi-led government has done well to give Wazed shelter in India, this could potentially add fuel to anti-India sentiments in Bangladesh. Wazed has a pro-India stance but the chances of her returning to Bangladesh are slim. India’s relationship with Bangladesh might be fraught with difficulties if it continues to shelter her. It is unclear whether Bangladesh will restore warm ties with India.
Abhijit Roy,
Jamshedpur
Risky plate
Sir — The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India directed food businesses and e-commerce platforms to remove misleading claims related to ‘A1’ and ‘A2’ types of milk and milk products from their packaging. The labels, A1 and A2, are associated with the structure of the beta-casein protein in milk, which has not been confirmed by the FSSAI. This is a commendable initiative toward safeguarding the health of the nation. Companies often affix unverified labels to products as marketing gimmicks, disregarding the potential health risks. Such practices impact the underprivileged most acutely as they might not have access to sources to ascertain the validity of these claims or cannot afford better options.
Jakir Hussain,
Kanpur
