Dampened spirits
Sir — With less than two months to go for Durga Puja, Kumartuli has, once again, turned into a hive of activity, drawing droves of enthusiastic shutterbugs. They unfailingly prove to be a nuisance for idol-makers. But changing weather patterns owing to climate change have now become a greater problem for the artisans. This year, they fear that they might have to use huge fans and blowtorches to get the clay idols dry in time. The government should modernise the idol-making workshops so that artisans are not left to the mercy of the elements. After all, the Puja is part of Bengal’s ‘Intangible Cultural Heritage’.
Sanjay Ghosh Dastidar, Calcutta
Evil design
Sir — Permission being granted to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad and the Bajrang Dal to conduct a religious procession despite the emergence of numerous communally-charged videos on social media was a recipe for disaster (“‘Shock’ at nod for Nuh march”, Aug 3). Such incidents must be nipped in the bud. The prime minister, Narendra Modi, should appeal for calm in the state. Other politicians, too, should speak out against such violence, irrespective of which party they belong to. The governments of states plagued by such violence, be it Haryana, Manipur or West Bengal, should be held accountable.
S.S. Paul, Nadia
Sir — Every citizen should be alarmed by the riots in Haryana’s Nuh which led to the death of six people so far, including two home guards. As per media reports, the riots were the result of carefully orchestrated provocation by religious groups like the Bajrang Dal. Carrying swords and firearms in a religious procession is unwarranted. The aim seems to have been to provoke the followers of another faith. Rumours that the self-proclaimed cow vigilante, Monu Manesar, would also attend the rally lent fuel to the communal conflagration. The home minister of Haryana, Anil Vij, was correct in claiming that the riots were well-planned. But this only proves the failure of his government in maintaining law and order and protecting Muslim citizens.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
Sir — The communal violence that erupted in Nuh could have been avoided if the district administration had kept a close watch on the activities of the people taking part in the religious rallies. The state authorities failed to control the situation and could not stop a communal mob from wreaking havoc. Troublemakers, no matter what their religion, should be arrested as soon as there are reports of violence.
Khokan Das, Calcutta
Sir — Incidents of violence have become increasingly common under the Bharatiya Janata Party government (“Hate rises”, Aug 2). Its Hindutva agenda has already poisoned the minds of many citizens. Such hatred finds expression in acts like the killing of a Muslim cleric who had advocated for peace. The Supreme Court has called upon the police in three states to act on hate speech. People should also rise to the occasion and practise communal harmony.
K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam
Sir — It is unfortunate that over 400 people have been forced to leave Gurugram and its surrounding areas due to the violence that has spilled over from Nuh. Most of them are migrant labourers from Bihar, Bengal and Jharkhand. Police patrolling has increased after the violence but the situation continues to be dangerous throughout Haryana.
Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai
Sir — The factors that led to the widespread riots in Nuh will only become clear after an investigation. These communal clashes foment further mistrust between the two communities.
Ashraf Nawaz, Hyderabad
