Pick up the trash

Sir — From herding sheep to searching for contraband substances at airports, dogs have been trained to assist humans in a wide range of activities. But some humans now seem to be taking advantage of dogs’ ready acceptance of instructions by training them to do tasks that humans traditionally do. Dadhiram Chettri from Darjeeling, for example, has trained his dog, Teju, to pick up plastic littered here and there by humans and drop them into dustbins nearby. If only some human litterbugs could be trained to be similarly mindful of the environment, the world might become a better
place.

Shibram Chowdhury, Siliguri

Cards shuffled

Sir — The prime minister of the United Kingdom, Rishi Sunak, has surprised many in the corridors of power by appointing the former prime minister, David Cameron, as the new foreign secretary after sacking Suella Braverman, the firebrand, right-wing member of the Conservative Party, as the interior minister. His decision suggests that he is throwing in his lot with the moderates. The reshuffle could have an impact on his political fate as the elections are not far off and his party is lagging behind.

N. Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru

Sir — The political situation in the UK has been shaken up, once again. Could Rishi Sunak’s decision to remove Suella Braverman from the post of home secretary and replace her with the neutral foreign secretary, James Cleverly, be motivated by the impending elections? It is also interesting that David Cameron has agreed to take on a role in a cabinet now headed by his political junior. Given England’s precarious economic situation, perhaps Sunak is preparing the grounds for the UK’s re-entry into the European Union with the reintroduction of an anti-Brexit politician.

Jang Bahadur Singh, Jamshedpur

Sir — In a surprise move, Rishi Sunak has brought back David Cameron as foreign secretary while simultaneously sacking Suella Braverman for her unauthorised criticism of the supposed double standards adopted by the police in dealing with protestors. Cameron’s return suggests that Sunak wanted to bring in a more centrist, experienced hand rather than appease the populist Right within his party.

Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai

Tall claims

Sir — The editorial, “Hot air” (Nov 15), rightly states that economic inequality hobbles the nation’s ability to pursue sustainable development. According to the World Inequality Report 2022, India is one of the most unequal countries in the world, with its top 1% holding more than one-fifth of the total national income and the bottom half just 13%. But loans to rich businessmen are frequently written off without much ado while subsidies to the poor are questioned as rewdis. The glaring inequality must be bridged.

Sujit De, Calcutta

Sir — The tall claims that the present dispensation has made in the context of the increased gross domestic product figures are nothing but hot air. Underlying issues like rising inflation and job scarcity continue to persist. Economic and non-economic indicators like the Human Development Index and the literacy and life expectancy rates would give a more accurate picture of the nation’s development.

Dhananjay Sinha, Calcutta

Sir — If the prime minister, Narendra Modi, believes that he can make our nation the third-largest economy, we should wish him luck instead of criticising him. The editorial, “Hot air”, does provide a realistic picture of the living conditions of the country’s citizens. However, it is up to the voters to decide if politicians are keeping their promises.

K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam