Just relax
Sir — A hard day’s work followed by winding down through aimless scrolling on Instagram or watching trashy television shows may seem like a guilty pleasure. But it could actually be the brain’s way of clearing its own system of toxin build-up. A new study uses magnetic resonancespectroscopy to prove as much: the mental fatigue after a strenuous day that compels us to partake in low-effortactivities may be a form of self-defence. The theory suggests that fatigue is a sort of illusion cooked up by the brain to make us stop whatever we are doing and turn to a more gratifying activity.
Nadia Parveen,Calcutta
Caught at last
Sir — The arrest of AnubrataMondal, the district president of the Trinamul Congress in Birbhum and a trusted aide of the chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, by the Central Bureau of Investigation will be inimical to the party (“Anubrata arrested”, Aug 12). Just weeks ago, another veteran TMC leader, Partha Chatterjee, was arrested in a teacher recruitment scam. These incarcerations will affect the TMC’s image. While Mondal should get a chance to prove his innocence,his repeated dodging of CBI summons raises doubts about his involvementin the cattle smugglingracket.Moreover, Mondal’s arrest seems to have come as a relief for people in Birbhum, who bore the brunt of his strong-arm tactics. This should tell the TMC leadership something about the conduct of its senior members.S.K. Choudhury,BengaluruSir — Anubrata Mondal continued to elude the CBI for a while before he was finally arrested last week. He had sought time from the CBI citing illness severaltimes. But the doctor concerned has claimed that he was forced to write Mondal a fake prescription. One wonders why the CBI did not show alacrity in getting its hands on Mondal — it had once scaled the walls of the house of the former Union minister, P. Chidambaram, to arrest him. It is a shame that the chief minister of West Bengal has come out in supportof Mondal. The latter could not have been operatingalone. The CBI must get to the bottom of the case so that all the culprits are brought to book.
S.S. Paul,Nadia
Unequal justice
Sir — The Supreme Court’s dictum, ‘bail is the norm and jail the exception’is selectively applied (“By the people”, Aug 11). Some of those charged with spreading hate at the Haridwar Dharma Sansad have been granted bail by various courts across the country while journalists and activists like Siddique Kappan and Teesta Setalvad still languish in jails.In this context, the concerns raised by the veteran lawyer and Rajya Sabha member, Kapil Sibal, about a loss of faith in the Supreme Court are worth pondering. What also comes to mind is the explosiveletter written by retired Supreme Court judge, J. Chelameswar which had spoken of a “bonhomie” between the judiciary and the executive. Sibal says it is time people hit the streets to protect their rights. But such a people’s movement can be exploited by politiciansfor their own cause. This should not be allowed to happen.
Jahar Saha,Calcutta
Age of retiremen
Sir — Pope Francis said on a recent trip to Canada that he may one day need to retire if his health fails him. Francis would be only the third pope in history to retire but the second one in a row. The resignation of Pope Benedict in 2013 had caught the assembled cardinalsoff guard. Whether or not Francis resigns, he has raised important questions about the future of the papacyin the face of medical advances and the realities of ageing.First, for Catholics, there are compelling theologicalreasons as to why a pope should remain in office until his death. As the ‘universal shepherd’, successorto St Peter and vicar of Christ, the pope both embodies the Church as a whole and provides a visible,seemingly uninterrupted,link to origins that are said to go back, via Peter, to Jesus Christ. Multiple (current and retired) living popes can pose a challenge to this traditional view of the Catholic Church with a single, indivisible head.
Shivam Raheja,New Delhi
Stray trouble
Sir — Free-ranging dogs have emerged as a threat to the local nilgai and blackbuckpopulations in parts of Haryana, accordingto a recent study. The dogs have been found to form packs to attack wildlife. More casualtieswere reported during the breeding season as the mothersand fawns are more vulnerable to attacks. Some research has also indicated that free-ranging dogs are a threat to at least 80 species, including 31 that are classified as threatened and four that are listed as critically endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.The establishment of dog sterilisation and vaccinationas well as wildlife rehabilitation centres can also be a solution at the local level when wildlife exists outside protected areas. There is also a case to demand strong legislationto restrict people from disowning pet dogs so as to prevent them from shifting into the stray category.
Kakoli Das,Calcutta
