Lasting impression

Sir — The most famous shoe print in the world is, arguably, not from this planet but from its satellite. It has been there since Neil Armstrong made the historic leap in 1969. The shoe prints left by successive astronauts on the lunar surface have spawned imitations in fashion. As Nasa gears up to return man to the moon through its upcoming Artemis mission, the hype around moon boots has resurfaced. It will thus not be surprising to see major footwear brands, such as Nike, Adidas, and Puma, make a run for getting their corporate branding on the new moon boots. However, with the Apollo moon landing still being shrouded in controversies, one hopes that the new set of moon boots will leave a more undisputed mark this time.

Riddhima Manna, Delhi

No reprieve

Sir — The Gujarat High Court recently rejected the plea by the Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, for a stay on his conviction in the 2019 criminal defamation case over his remark on the “Modi surname” (“‘10 cases’ blow to Rahul”, July 8). The judge also referred to 10 more criminal cases pending against Rahul Gandhi as a ground for not staying his conviction. This is deplorable. The bid to club the criminal defamation case with the other suits pending against him reduces the latter’s chances of getting a judicial relief to contest the general elections next year.

It is unsurprising that most of the complainants in the cases filed against Rahul Gandhi are affiliated with the Bharatiya Janata Party. On the other hand, several members of the BJP have been accused of making defamatory comments against Rahul Gandhi and his family members. These too must be investigated.

Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta

Sir — While rejecting a stay on Rahul Gandhi’s conviction, the Gujarat High Court judge, Justice Hemant Prachchhak, stressed the need to “have purity in politics”. But such a virtue is seldom adhered to by the current political spectrum. In fact, several leaders and ministers belonging to the ruling dispensation miss no opportunity to spew venom against minorities in the form of hate speeches.

It must be noted that criminal cases, some even related to murder charges, have been pending against several BJP members. However, there has not been similar judicial prudence in ensuring justice in such cases.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad

Sir — The verdict of the Gujarat High Court upholding the conviction of Rahul Gandhi raises concerns about the freedom of speech in India. The conviction — it was one of the harshest as far as defamation suits are concerned — invited a jail term of two years for Rahul Gandhi. Further, the clubbing of the defamation case with 10 other criminal suits pending against him is unprecedented.

There have been apprehensions about Rahul Gandhi not getting justice in the courts in Gujarat owing to the partisan sentiments propagated by the ruling BJP in the state. The high court’s order gives credence to such concerns.

Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai

Divisive move

Sir — Minority communities, especially Muslims, are being increasingly marginalised and targeted in India (“IUML sees no point in UCC meet without Cong”, July 10). Their subjugation has coincided with the rise of Hindutva politics in the country. This has deepened religious fissures. The Bharatiya Janata Party government’s bid to implement the controversial uniform civil code will further polarise the people. Electoral politics is based on the principles of inclusivity and nonpartisanship. The government must realise this.

Md. Imdadullah, Muzaffarpur

Sir — The implementation of a uniform civil code will be detrimental to the unity and integrity of India. The government should consult all the stakeholders, including political representatives, religious leaders as well as tribal groups, before introducing the law. That would be true to the democratic spirit and liberal ethos enshrined in the Constitution.

N. Ashraf, Mumbai

Game of thrones

Sir — Meta recently launched Threads, a text-based conversation app, on Instagram in an attempt to take on Twitter. This has led to an intense rivalry between Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk (“Spreading Threads irk Twitter”, July 8). However, the two tech billionaires share a long, chequered history of trying to outdo each other.

It is uncommon for billionaires to invest in a sector that is already monopolised by another company. The launch of Threads is thus a frustrating attempt by Zuckerberg to establish himself at the top of the tech world.

Isha Tapadiya, Ujjain

Green heritage

Sir — It was heartening to learn that the Bihar government has started an initiative to track and identify heritage trees, which are at least 50 years old and hold distinct ecological significance, across the state to conserve them better (“Bihar bid to save heritage trees”, July 9). This is laudable. Other states must follow suit.

Sourish Misra, Calcutta

Troubled map

Sir — The upcoming movie, Barbie, has been banned in Vietnam over its inclusion of a map that shows China’s nine-dash line in the South China Sea. The demarcation is opposed by most South East Asian countries. However, Warner Bros, the distributor of the film, has defended the map, stating that it was a “child-like crayon drawing”. Given the raw nerve the issue has touched, it remains to be seen whether other countries follow in the footsteps of Vietnam.

Amarjeet Kumar, Hazaribag, Jharkhand