Coloured vision

Sir — The actress, Deepika Padukone, has managed to poke the sensitive bear of sanskar, yet again. The song, “Besharam rang”, from her upcoming movie, Pathaan, has offended some politicians who have an objection to the actress sporting a saffron bikini, claiming that this upsets religious sentiments. Padukone has also been called a member of the ‘tukde tukde gang’. This outrage is ironic; one would assume that a member of the so-called ‘tukde tukde gang’ sporting saffron would please Hindutva hardliners. Further, have they not seen ascetics who have renounced the world and sport only a saffronwear?

Kakoli Panja, Calcutta

Serious questions

Sir — The Trinamul Congress member of Parliament, Mahua Moitra, has posed the question, “Who is the Pappu now?”, in the Lok Sabha. She has touched a raw nerve with the Bharatiya Janata Party. Usually known for her oratory skills, the MP’s usage of the colloquial word, ‘Pappu’, to indicate a dimwitted person is not befitting a parliamentary debate. Political discussions must be serious, not whimsical.

Amit Brahmo, Calcutta

Sir — Mahua Moitra’s fiery speech about the government’s false claims regarding the economy has demolished the BJP’s efforts to project the picture of an economically sound India. The facts and figures used by her would be hard to counter. Hopefully it will force the government to think twice before trying to dupe citizens.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Larger crisis

Sir — The death of more than 30 people after consuming spurious liquor in the Saran district of Bihar has brought to light a larger crisis in Bihar since Prohibition was imposed in the state (“Leniency on Bihar liquor arrests”, Dec 16). Prohibition was imposed in Bihar to appease women voters. But it has been rendered useless by the nexus among the police, politicians and smugglers of alcohol. The government must wake up to this reality before it is too late.

Jayanta Datta, Hooghly

Unfair fare

Sir — The government seems uninterested in restoring the subsidies in train fares for senior citizens that were in place before the pandemic. This disinclination may stem from the funds crunch in the railways. With the income of senior citizens dwindling owing to lowered interest rates, at least partial concessions must be made for travellers above 70 years of age. Inflation has been harsh on the elderly. They need some respite.

Kamal Laddha, Bengaluru

On guard

Sir — India is the birthplace of several forms of martial arts like Kalaripayattu and Sarit Sarak, but they are rarely part of school extra-curriculars. The misconception that martial arts are only useful for fighting and self-defence overlooks their benefits for physical and mental well-being.

Ragging and bullying are rampant in Indian educational institutions. Students might handle these stressful situations better if they are trained in martial arts. State governments must consider introducing indigenous martial arts as compulsory courses in schools.

Noopur Baruah, Tezpur, Assam

Reel worries

Sir — Indian cinema fails to cater to an international audience owing to the lack of research into special effects and technical knowledge. Bollywood is in the throes of a crisis owing to the rise of over-the-top platforms. As such, international acclaim for movies like RRR and Bahubali can work as a form of soft power for India. More film-makers should be incentivised to experiment with styles.

Vijay Singh Adhikari, Nainital