Keep the wrinkles
Sir — A crumpled shirt and a trouser might not be the best way of making an impression but it is probably excellent for the planet. The Council of Scientific
and Industrial Research has started a campaign, which urges employees to wear wrinkled clothes to work once a week. This is because electric irons consume massive amounts of power that is generated by burning fossil fuels. Ironing clothes for a family of five can release a kilogramme of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Perhaps in light of the climate crisis, crumpled clothes should now reflect well on the character of its wearer.
Anjana Lahiri, Calcutta
Political turbulence
Sir — After the defection by three independent members of the legislative assembly in Haryana, the Bharatiya Janata Party government led by Nayab Singh Saini is in a bit of trouble (“Haryana defections put BJP govt on the edge”, May 8). But the defections will not be enough to bring down the government and, thus, will not prove beneficial for the Opposition. While the Congress has demanded the imposition of president’s rule in Haryana, this is not constitutionally viable because the government claims to have the support of some Jannayak Janata Party members from the outside. The Opposition is merely aspiring to gain voters’ sympathy. But voters have the best interests of the state in mind.
Yugal Kishore Sharma, Faridabad
Sir — It is a real blow for the BJP that three independent MLAs with whose support the party had formed a government in Haryana have defected to the Congress before the assembly elections in the state in a few months. This is payback time for the Congress, which has faced similar situations in other states. Incidentally, this could also change political equations in the Lok Sabha elections in Haryana, which votes on May 25.
N. Mahadevan, Chennai
Sir — Politics in India is full of twists and turns. The JJP leader, Dushyant Chautala, who was an ally of the BJP not so long ago, has turned the tables on it by seeking a no-confidence motion against the Nayab Singh Saini government in Haryana (“Haryana ‘floor test’ heat on BJP”, May 10). The BJP is getting a taste of its own medicine in the midst of the general elections. This development is critical as Haryana has not voted so far. Manohar Lal Khattar was replaced with Nayab Singh Saini as people were not happy with the former. The latest development will put the BJP in a spot of bother. However, the BJP may be able to save the government for a while because a no-confidence motion can only be sought after six months from an earlier one. Sadly, in the meantime, horse-trading might come into play. Whatever the political situation, people should not suffer.
Bal Govind, Noida
Tight corner
Sir — The truce proposal by Egypt and Qatar should be accepted by both Israel and Hamas (“Isolated”, May 10). The prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, should not stubbornly stick to his plan of eliminating Hamas. Even his staunch ally, the United States of America, is beginning to withhold support. Netanyahu must understand that his country has been isolated.
K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam
Sir — If Benjamin Netanyahu is insistent on continuing the offensive in Rafah, Israel should be subjected to strict sanctions. Israel’s focus does not seem to be the rescue of the hostages taken by Hamas but the destruction of Hamas and the decimation of Palestinians in the process. The United Nations recently said that it would take 16 years to rebuild Gaza and argued that famine-like conditions have set in. Moreover, the strife can soon engulf the entire Middle East. It is time to stop this from happening.
S. Kamat, Mysuru
