Archaic ideas
Sir — The British may have left India, but their customs refuse to leave the country. Many of the genteel clubs in Calcutta — Calcutta Club, The Bengal Club and Lake Club, to name a few — have strict restrictions regarding the kind of attire that is allowed on the premises. Clubs in other parts of the country have such rules too. Pyjamas, for instance, are the top offenders, especially in dining areas. Such rules perpetuate false ideas about gentility and encourage the humiliation of those who do not meet these standards. There is no place for such objectionable and exclusionary behaviour in modern India.
Binodini Ray, Calcutta
Golden voice
Sir — The death of the acclaimed singer, Krishnakumar Kunnath, popularly known as KK, was unexpected (“Early opinion: KK died of heart attack”, June 2). It happened hours after he performed in a packed auditorium in Calcutta. Some reports suggest that he may have had a pre-existing medical condition. Even so, the event organisers, the auditorium authorities and the local police failed to tackle the crisis by not taking the singer to hospital sooner. Such lackadaisical attitude and mismanagement were also responsible for the deaths of the two young rowers who drowned at Rabindra Sarobar. The authorities should reflect on these incidents and take steps to avoid them from recurring in the future.
Arun Kumar Baksi, Calcutta
Sir — All kinds of rumours are circulating about the death of KK. Nandita Puri, the former wife of the actor, Om Puri, has alleged that it was poor arrangement in Calcutta that killed the singer. She pointed out that overcrowding — there was a crowd of 7,000 at a venue that has a seating capacity of only 2,500 — faulty air conditioning and the absence of paramedics at Nazrul Mancha were some of the primary reasons that led to KK’s untimely demise. The singer had complained about the AC several times but to no avail. These are some serious allegations and need to be thoroughly investigated. Those responsible for this tragedy must be held accountable.
Mansi Parihar, Ujjain
Sir — The celebrated singer, KK, died suddenly after his show at Nazrul Mancha. The videos of his performance that were posted on social media show that the singer was sweating profusely onstage. The conditions in which he had to perform were abysmal. The last song that KK sang at the concert was “Pal”, the breakout track from his debut album. The sudden death of the beloved singer has left behind many unanswered questions.
Ishita Patidar, Ujjain
Wake up
Sir — The Congress has been functioning poorly. Its choice of candidates for the Rajya Sabha is a matter of concern. The editorial, “Eyes shut” (June 2), has rightly highlighted the Grand Old Party’s reluctance to mend its ways. The exclusion of Ghulam Nabi Azad from the list of nominees is regrettable. The steady exodus of leaders from the party is indicative of an impending debacle in the 2024 general elections. Rahul Gandhi declared during the recent Chintan Shivir at Udaipur that only the Congress can take on the Bharatiya Janata Party at the national level. But it seems that the Congress is all talk. This is unfortunate.
K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam
Spectacular win
Sir — The Spanish tennis ace, Rafael Nadal, proved that he reigns supreme on the clay court by defeating Novak Djokovic in the quarter-finals at Roland Garros. The thrilling match went on for more than four hours. In spite of Nadal’s injuries and his reservations about playing on the clay court at night, he made the most of the opportunity.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
