Take a bite
Sir — It is a fact universally acknowledged that food can unite as well as divide. The latest food item to have divided India is the idli burger, where an idli is sliced from the middle, slathered with chutneys and sauces, and sprinkled with grated vegetables and cheese and put back together. Even as food purists go green in the face at the prospect of this invention, they would do well to remember that some day someone had a similarly novel idea of sticking an aalu vada between a pav. Where would we have been if the idea had been dismissed as well and the world never got to taste the delicacy that is the vada pav?
Indranil Bakshi, Ahmedabad
Unchecked lies
Sir — The prime minister, Narendra Modi, cares little for facts and figures while making campaign speeches. For instance, at a rally in Uttar Pradesh, Modi accused the INDIA bloc of abusing Uttar Pradesh while electioneering in South India without any evidence. All the prime minister wants to do is sow divisions across the country. It is unfortunate that the Election Commission of India turns a blind eye to all the transgressions made by Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party.
Fakhrul Alam, Calcutta
Sir — Narendra Modi spouts so many lies that he cannot keep track of them anymore. He first called the Congress manifesto “communist” and then, at another location, changed his mind to call it a “Maoist manifesto”. The prime minister’s opinions change at each state border.
M.C. Vijay Shankar, Chennai
Sir — The ‘pradhan sevak’, as Narendra Modi likes to call himself, can get away with lying because he is not actively fact-checked or called out by mainstream media. Modi has forgotten that he still holds an important constitutional role. He has only sown mistrust among people. This is neither the sign of a great leader nor a great orator.
What is worse, many other political leaders, too, are engaging in similar vilification of certain communities. More damage has been done to Indian democracy by such outrageous oratory than by falling voting percentages.
Avinash Godboley, Dewas, Madhya Pradesh
History’s heroes
Sir — Cherry-picking parts from statements made by great leaders in the past and quoting them out of context have become common these days (“Nehru’s Patel”, May 18). There is a widespread misconception that Jawaharlal Nehru is to be blamed for the Partition. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was convinced that Partition was the only way to save India from becoming dysfunctional. In his own words, “In order to keep India united it must be divided.” In a way, we should thank the Bharatiya Janata Party for its obsession with Nehru. This has resurrected Nehru in the nation’s memory and will hopefully reveal his stellar character.
H.N. Ramakrishna, Bengaluru
Sir — Ramachandra Guha’s column, “Nehru’s Patel”, was illuminating. But Guha has omitted the contributions of B.R. Ambedkar, who was as instrumental in shaping the Republic as Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Ronodeep Das, Calcutta
Shameful remarks
Sir — The former judge of the Calcutta High Court, Abhijit Gangopadhyay, has crossed all limits of decency with his derogatory comments against the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee (“EC raps Abhijit for Mamata remarks”, May 18). The Election Commission of India has rightly issued a notice describing Gangopadhyay’s remarks as “improper, injudicious, beyond dignity in every sense of the term, and in bad taste”. It was shocking to hear a former judge sink to such levels. If the prime minister and his party hold women in high regard, they should have spoken up against Gangopadhyay.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
Sir — Abhijit Gangopadhyay’s comments against Mamata Banerjee are absolutely atrocious. Nothing can justify such comments against a woman. It is even more shocking that a former judge has uttered these words.
Arun Kumar Baksi, Calcutta
Classrooms count
Sir — Nothing can compensate for the experience of classroom learning (“A hoax called online learning”, May 18). Online or virtual learning is for the mature who can focus on the lessons. It might not exactly be a hoax but it is a niche pursuit that cannot replace physical learning in a classroom.
Fateh Najamuddin, Lucknow
Keep it cool
Sir — Climate change affects every living creature. Be it on the health of humans or that of birds who are dying because of excessive heat, global warming has wide-ranging impacts. Yet more than five million trees have been cut in India between 2018 and 2022. Temperature rise can be kept in check if the tree cover is improved in the country. Rise in temperatures will affect lives and livelihoods both in cities and villages.
Shantaram Wagh, Pune
