Picture imperfect
Sir — The prime minister, Narendra Modi, recently inaugurated the Mahakal temple corridor in Ujjain. Modi was wearing a yellow tripundra tilak covering his forehead. Did the attire behove the head of a secular nation? It has been alleged that the prime minister uses his visits to Hindu temples as photo opportunities — previous instances of such overtly religious displays were at the Rudra cave in Kedarnath and, later, during the inauguration of the Kashi Vishwanath temple corridor. These should concern every citizen of our multicultural, secular country.
Subhra S. Bhattacharjee, Bolpur
Inglorious exit
Sir — Whatever the reason behind the cricketing legend, Sourav Ganguly, being removed from the post of the BCCI president, the issue has gained a political spin in his home state with several Trinamul Congress leaders attributing it to his alleged refusal to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (“Stumped on tricky Board pitch”, Oct 12). The BJP has strongly refuted this charge. However, it does seem suspicious that while Ganguly, who has established himself as an efficient cricket administrator, has been given the marching orders, Jay Shah, the son of Union home minister, Amit Shah, will retain his post as the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India despite having no cricketing experience outside Gujarat. Given his huge fan base in West Bengal, Ganguly’s exit could cost the BJP dearly in future elections in the state.
Sunil Choudhury, Bengaluru
Sir — It is shocking that a legendary former captain of the Indian cricket team, Sourav Ganguly, was denied a second term as the BCCI president while Jay Shah will continue as the secretary of the BCCI. Ganguly will also not receive the BCCI’s backing for the post of chairman of the International Cricket Council. Ahead of the West Bengal assembly polls in 2021, the BJP had tried to indicate that Ganguly would be joining the party. His unceremonious dismissal raises questions about whether Ganguly has fallen foul of the BJP’s high command. It seems that the Maharashtra BJP leader, Ashis Shelar, will be the new treasurer, while Arun Singh Dhumal, the younger brother of the sports minister, Anurag Thakur, will become the chairman of the Indian Premier League. Additionally, Devajit Saikia, a close aide of the Assam chief minister, Himanta Biswa Sarma, will be the new joint secretary. The saffronisation process of India’s topmost cricket body looks complete.
Khokan Das, Calcutta
Throwing crumbs
Sir — It is disappointing that the Central government has hiked the material cost of cooking a mid-day meal by only 48 paise for students in Classes I to V and by 72 paise for students in Classes V to VIII under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shakti Nirman scheme. Such a paltry hike makes no sense considering the current market price of essential foodstuff. It is not enough to provide even one hot, cooked nutritious meal to each student in public schools across the country with the amount. The inadequate upward revision after a two-year gap has failed to live up to expectations. The Union government must increase the amount dedicated towards each child lest the nutritional health of growing children becomes a casualty.
Samir Das, Cooch Behar
In the dark
Sir — More than three lakh Right to Information Act appeals and complaints are pending with 26 information commissions across the country. This does not bode well for transparency. Government officials in every state have made a mockery of the citizen’s right to information.
Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai
