Lost spirit

Sir — While Bharatiya Janata Party leaders, including Dilip Ghosh, led Ram Navami rallies at various parts of West Bengal, the ruling Trinamul Congress conducted rival celebrations honouring the goddess, Basanti, a form of Durga. Two armed Ram Navami processions were sighted at Barrackpore despite prohibitions on the display of weapons. Festivals that were once the glue
that held people from all walks of life together in Bengal have now become
occasions of communal discord that bring anxiety instead of joy. This is most unfortunate.

Nishantika Bhattacharjee,
Calcutta

Instant justice

Sir — It is shocking that the Madhya Pradesh government ordered the demolition of properties of those accused of rioting — mostly Muslims — at the Ram Navami procession in the districts of Khargone and Barwani (“Muscle power”, April 15). The government’s brand of instant justice has made a mockery of the rule of law. The chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has drawn inspiration from his counterpart in Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath; the latter has earned the sobriquet, ‘Bulldozer baba’, for razing the properties of alleged criminals in the state without a trial. This is cause for concern. Can the government take the law into its hands? The silence of the judiciary in these cases is worrying. Democracy in India is in trouble.

S.S. Paul,
Nadia

Sir — Houses and shops belonging to Muslims reduced to rubble by bulldozers in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat make for a disquieting view. The incidents are in contravention of the Constitution, which leaves matters of justice to the judiciary (“Cong flags attack on Constitution”, April 15). Unsurprisingly, such strong-arm tactics are being used by the leaders of the saffron party to earn political dividends. It is unfortunate that the ‘bulldozer’ is gaining ground as a symbol of justice.

G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Take care

Sir — The surge in Covid-19 cases in Shanghai has triggered panic across the globe. But the response of the Chinese government has been disproportionate. Twenty-six million residents in Shanghai have been pushed into a strict lockdown, depriving them from meeting their basic needs. The president, Xi Jinping, should immediately pay heed to the demands of the people.

Other countries must be wary and take lessons from China. Relaxing all Covid-19 protocols immediately is not the best idea. Precaution is always better than cure. Life is unlikely to return to normal anytime soon.

Janga Bahadur Sunuwar,
Jalpaiguri

Exit note

Sir — Joe Root has resigned as England’s Test captain. This ends a five-year term. Of late, the English Test side has been assailed by a series of losses, including the 4-0 defeat at the Ashes last winter. Root’s captaincy had come under the scanner owing to the fact that England won just one of 17 test matches — the country’s worst run since the 1980s. However, Root’s resignation leaves England without a captain. Incidentally, the team is also without a coach and director after the departures of Chris Silverwood and Ashley Giles, respectively, in the wake of the Ashes defeat. Ben Stokes is the favoured candidate for captaincy. Tough times are ahead for the English Test team.

Bhagwan Thadani,
Mumbai

Sir — The resignation of Joe Root does not come as a surprise. But the captain alone should not shoulder the blame for the team’s failure.

Kakoli Das,
Calcutta