Love is not in the air

Sir — Remember the film, French Kiss, in which Kate and Luc experience a whirlwind romance after sitting beside each other on a flight? This possibility of romance has been snuffed out for many as IndiGo airlines will allow women passengers the option of booking seats next to other female flyers. But this is perhaps a small price to pay to prevent harassment as inappropriate gestures towards female travellers on public transport are frequent. This step, though, shifts the onus of staying safe on women. Instead of allowing women to choose people they feel safe with, it is more important to punish offenders strictly. How long shall we tell women to hide from danger?

Sudha Biswas, Calcutta

House on fire

Sir — Following a tepid performance by the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Lok Sabha polls, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has seized the opportunity to criticise the prime minister’s election tactics (“RSS grabs chance, delivers a rap”, June 12). In a recent meeting in Nagpur, the RSS chief, Mohan Bhagwat, took a swipe at Narendra Modi, citing his arrogance as the cause of the party’s downfall. Bhagwat stated that a true sevak would refrain from taking pride in his achievements and remain indifferent to his victories. Such remarks, especially regarding the stifling of the Opposition, have stirred speculation about a rift between the BJP and its motherboard. The BJP’s attempt to distance itself from the RSS to generate a false sense of ‘Modi magic’ among the voters has backfired. Modi’s third term will be fraught with disagreements with his allies in the government, the Opposition, and the RSS.

Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta

Sir — It is ironic that the RSS is crying over spilt milk. The BJP and its Hindutva brigade have done immense damage to the country. Mohan Bhagwat’s preaching is too little, too late. Having declared himself a divine being, Narendra Modi will no longer mend his ways. He is surrounded by sycophants who went along with his disastrous decisions regarding demonetisation, the electoral bonds scam, the ethnic riots in Manipur, the mismanagement of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Pulwama terror attack and the like. Both the BJP and the RSS have failed the country. One hopes that the INDIA bloc will prove to be a strong Opposition and steer the country out of these crises.

P.K. Sharma, Barnala, Punjab

Sir — The RSS has justifiably pointed out the reasons behind the poor electoral performance of the BJP in 2024. Arrogance and engendering social disharmony, as the RSS chief mentioned, were the root causes of the BJP’s failure. Internal sabotage also led to unexpected results in states like Uttar Pradesh. The BJP should heed this advice and learn its lesson.

Tapan Dutta, Calcutta

Sir — It would do the BJP well to pay attention to the RSS’s criticism. As Mohan Bhagwat rightly said, Narendra Modi needs to be more aligned with ground realities. Modi should take cognisance of the dire situation in Manipur and appoint a capable and empathetic leader in place of N. Biren Singh.

Bal Govind, Noida

Sir — While addressing a recent event, Mohan Bhagwat explained that he who can forego pride can call himself a true sevak. While it is not a direct attack on Narendra Modi, it refers to his penchant for calling himself the ‘pradhan sevak’. Bhagwat further spoke against the blatantly divisive narrative of mangalsutra and mujra and flagged the government’s inaction in Manipur. J.P. Nadda’s statement that the BJP is no longer dependent on the RSS has sparked an ugly tiff.

D.P. Bhattacharya, Calcutta

Sir — Mohan Bhagwat blamed Narendra Modi’s hubris and inflammatory speeches for the drastic fall in the BJP’s vote share. However, Modi has fulfilled the ideological demands of the RSS, such as the construction of the Ram temple and the abrogation of Article 370. The sangh should not continue to fan the flames, especially after the elections.

Ananda Dulal Ghosh, Howrah

Cautious step

Sir — The decision of the Reserve Bank of India to retain the repo rate at 6.5% is prudent (“Still cautious”, June 11). Even though the inflation rate is only slightly higher than the target rate, the food inflation rate is around 8%. The expectation of an above-normal monsoon and an improved performance of the service sector might have contributed to the RBI’s revised growth forecast. However, geopolitical tensions and volatility in the prices of international commodities can pose a threat.

Ardhendu Chakraborty, Calcutta

Poor rank

Sir — India’s position in the World Press Freedom Index 2023 has dropped from 150 to 161. This is a big blow to the fourth pillar of democracy. A large number of media organisations pander to the ruling government. This will cost them dearly as people have been finding it difficult to trust the media. The godi media should grow a spine and speak for the people.

Noopur Baruah, Tezpur