Split hairs
Sir — Haircuts can make or break a man — just ask Samson who lost all his strength after Delilah betrayed him by cutting off his mane. But does that justify paying Rs 1,00,000 for a haircut? The famous hairstylist, Aalim Hakim, who is in charge of the precious locks of cricketers like Virat Kohli and Mahendra Singh Dhoni, has claimed that he charges a minimum of one lakh rupees for his services. However, more than the shock of middle-class citizens at such an extravagance, it is Kohli and Dhoni who should be aggrieved. After all, neighbourhood barbers churn out hundreds of ‘Kohli cuts’ and ‘Dhoni cuts’ for less than Rs 100.
Nirjhar Das, Calcutta
Poll promises
Sir — Nyay Patra, the election manifesto released by the Congress, seems progressive. Only time will tell whether these promises are fulfilled. However, not all the elements of its manifesto are acceptable. For instance, while writing off farmers’ loans is understandable, the same cannot be said of student loans. Banks will lose crores of money owing to such write-offs. Similarly, the promise to pay Rs 1,00,000 per year to poor families seems impossible to fulfil. The INDIA bloc should do ‘nyay’ to every citizen and not just some sections of the population.
N. Mahadevan, Chennai
Sir — Compared to the tall claims made by the Congress in its 2019 manifesto, the Nyay Patra seems more feasible. Relooking at laws that hinder free speech and place stringent conditions on bail, granting full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, carrying out a nationwide caste census, raising the 50% cap on reservations for scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes, reserving 50% of Central government jobs for women and taking steps to fill the nearly 30 lakh vacancies at various levels in the Central government are all nuanced policy positions. Translating this text into a campaign that can persuade the voters, however, is going to be a
formidable challenge.
M. Jeyaram, Sholavandan, Tamil Nadu
Sir — The Congress’s poll promise to remove the 50% cap on reservations for SCs, STs and OBCs and extend caste quotas to private educational institutions is a regressive stance. Political parties try to lure voters with reservations. This is not just a violation of constitutional principles but also undermines meritocracy. Compliance with reservations often leaves key posts in the government and educational institutions vacant. Caste-based reservations also create rifts in society. There has to be a delicate equilibrium between rectifying historical injustices and upholding meritocracy.
Indranil Barat, Dhanbad
Sir — The 25 pledges in the Congress’s Nyay Patra are noteworthy. In spite of the emphasis on welfare schemes, it makes no mention of the Old Pension Scheme, a poll plank that reaped it rewards in Himachal Pradesh. However, an economic analysis later showed that this scheme was imprudent. In such a situation, it is heartening that the Congress is not repeating its mistakes for political gains.
Abhijit Roy, Jamshedpur
Wasted resource
Sir — The ongoing water crisis in Bengaluru should serve as a wake-up call for cities across India that are bursting at the seams and struggling to meet the water requirements of citizens. Calcutta, surrounded by wetlands and rivers, does not value water adequately. Many parts of the city, such as Behala and Bansdroni, depend majorly on groundwater and thus face shortages every year in summer. Moreover, Calcutta also ranked 16th among the top 20 local urban bodies in India on the Municipal Used Water Management Index.
The state government must begin by implementing the long-disputed water tax — water maybe a free resource but providing potable, piped water to homes costs the exchequer money. Successive dispensations have given in to populism and shied away from imposing this tax. But people will only value a resource when they have to pay for it. The other urgent step is to check wastage at municipal taps and wells — around 30% of potable water is wasted in the city every day. Treating and reusing wastewater, too, need to be looked into urgently.
Sutrishna Dhali, Calcutta
Picture of dignity
Sir — The former prime minister, Manmohan Singh, announced his retirement from the Rajya Sabha recently. He is undeniably one of the most dignified politicians that India has seen. The economic reforms ushered in by Singh made India the country that it
is today.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
Unreal target
Sir — Most of us have heard that we should be walking 10,000 steps a day to keep healthy and fit. But this count began its life as a marketing gimmick: it was popularised by a company selling a pedometer called Manpo-kei: ‘man’ meaning 10,000, ‘po’ being steps and ‘kei’ meaning meter. This random target intimidates newbies and keeps them from walking at all for fear of failing to meet the
magic number.
Dushyant Jha, Bhopal
