Playing truant
Sir — Few things can be more attractive to an average schoolboy than a day off from school. Many of us tried to skip school during our childhood days with excuses about imaginary illnesses. But a Class VIII boy in Uttar Pradesh recently took his reluctance to absurd heights by staging his own ‘kidnapping’ — in reality, he simply went on a trip to a nearby town with his friend to have fun, while his younger brother helped him in the ruse by informing their parents about the ‘kidnapping’. Perhaps he should recall the story of the boy who cried wolf and, as a result, did not get help when he actually needed it.
Arif Rahman, Faridabad
Stony silence
Sir — Despite the deployment of armed troops to quell the riots and visits by the Union home minister, Amit Shah, and the Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, Manipur seems to be on the boil. It is disheartening that the prime minister has chosen to maintain a stony silence on the issue so far, while the European Parliament has recognised the urgency of the situation and discussed sending humantarian aid to Manipur (“What PM won’t, Europe does”, July 13).
K. Nehru Patnaik,Visakhapatnam
Sir — It is not surprising that politicians from around the world, including members of the European Parliament, have taken notice of the riots in Manipur, while the prime minister has been reluctant to address them. Labelling crises as an ‘internal matter’ will not solve them; they just get brushed under the carpet.
Amit Brahmo, Calcutta
Sir — The conflict in Manipur has been raging for three months and the prime minister’s silence on the issue seems to have irked members of the European Parliament ahead of his visit to France (“It takes Europe to tell India Story”, July 14). While the media have covered Narendra Modi’s foreign trips with gusto, they have failed to seek accountability from the government on the issue of Manipur. With the monsoon session of Parliament convening soon, the Opposition should demand that the government take concrete steps to ensure lasting peace in Manipur.
Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta
Chilling crime
Sir — It was shocking to read that the palm of a college professor in Kerala had been chopped off in 2010 for setting an allegedly blasphemous question (“Six guilty of chopping palm of professor”, July 13). While a special court has rightly convicted six people for committing such a vicious act, the professor, T.J. Joesph, should also have been sensitive towards the religious sentiments of minorities.
Ananda Dulal Ghosh, Howrah
Literary light
Sir — The demise of a giant of European literature, Milan Kundera, is saddening (“Communist outcast & literary star”, July 13). He was forced to flee the country of his birth due to his unswerving criticism of Czechoslovakia’s communist regime. His novel, The Unbearable Lightness of Being, received universal praise for its observations on politics and everyday life.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
Sir — Milan Kundera’s death marks the end of an era in European literature. His fierce dedication to his craft is evident in his frustration with the various translations of his book, The Joke — it led him to translate it into French himself. His legacy will remain inspirational.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Sir — It is sad that Milan Kundera is no more. I admired the basic tenets of communism till the observations made by Kundera in The Unbearable Lightness of Being came as an eye-opener.
Dyutiman Bhattacharya, Calcutta
