Unequal world
Sir — All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others. Who would have thought that the inequalities that divide humans would also exist in the animal world? A study published in Behavioral Ecology has found that some animals have privilege as well. Mammals, fish, birds and insects benefit from ‘intergenerational wealth’. For instance, among American red squirrels, mothers pass on their stores of spruce cones and nuts to their daughters. These inherited resources increase their chances of surviving the winter and allow them to reproduce earlier than others. Just as in humans, animals prefer to help those within their social and familial circle. However, unlike animals, humans have the congnitive ability to break these patterns.
Jyotsna Sanyal, Calcutta
Strange decision
Sir — Baba Ramdev has amassed a huge amount wealth by selling ‘ayurvedic’ wellness products under the brand name, Patanjali (“U-turn on Ramdev drugs”, Nov 13). The Uttarakhand Ayurveda and Unani Services Licensing Authority had sent a notice to his company to stop manufacturing five drugs that had violated certain advertising rules. But the order was retracted within three days. It is difficult not to connect Ramdev’s closeness to the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre for this reversal. This link is made all the more conspicuous by the statement issued by Patanjali after the order was reversed. In it, the prime minister is praised for his “untiring efforts to make [the] country proud of its ancient heritage”.
Basudeb Dutta, Nadia
Sir — There is something fishy about the way in which regulatory authorities in Uttarakhand have revoked an order banning five Patanjali products. It is hard to believe that the order was just a mistake. Unless clarifications are offered, there will be suspicions that the proximity of Ramdev to those in power enabled him to override the laws.
Anthony Henriques, Mumbai
Hurdle ahead
Sir — Lakhs of government employees are seething against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government over the new pension scheme in poll-bound Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh. The agitation has been revived ahead of the upcoming assembly elections. The Congress has promised to implement the older pension scheme — wherein employees receive 50% of their last drawn basic pay plus dearness allowance or their average earnings in the last ten months of service — if it comes to power. This will be a hurdle for the BJP in the state.
Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai
Break the ice
Sir — It was promising to learn that the president of the United States of America, Joe Biden, met his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit. This is the first in-person interaction between the two leaders since Biden took office. Relations between the two countries have become tense, especially after the US House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, visited Taiwan. The livelihoods of tens of thousands of people are dependent on the ties between the US and China. Settling their differences is the need of the hour.
Jang Bahadur Singh, Jamshedpur
Well played
Sir — England defeated Pakistan by five wickets in the Twenty20 World Cup final to lift the trophy for the second time (“ODI champions now T20 kings”, Nov 14). Economic bowling by Sam Curran and Adil Rashid restricted Pakistan to 137 runs. However, had the young Pakistani bowler, Shaheen Afridi, not left at a crucial juncture, the result of the match may have been different. Ben Stokes and Harry Brook, too, must be lauded for turning the match in favour of England.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
Sir — England played superb cricket against Pakistan in the final of the men’s T20 World Cup at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Ben Stokes played a big part in helping his team cross the finish line and lift the trophy. Spectators were treated to a fine game of cricket.
Iftekhar Ahmed, Calcutta
Obsolete office
Sir — A governor should be non-partisan and assist in the smooth functioning of the government. Yet, time and again, governors have been accused of interfering in the day-to-day administration of the state. The friction between the governor of Kerala and the state government is a case in point. There is still confusion regarding the governor’s powers.
K. Nehru Patnaik, Vishakhapatnam
Sir — The fiasco in Kerala regarding the excesses of the governor is yet another reminder that the gubernatorial office has become redundant.
Shyamal Jha, Calcutta
Murky green
Sir — People have become more conscious of the environmental consequences of their purchases. Businesses, too, are trying to be more sustainable. However, many companies merely erect a facade of sustainability while generating massive amounts of waste. This is called greenwashing. Identification of greenwashing can be tricky because consumers themselves are often not fully aware of environmental risks. Consumers have the power to reshape the market. They should use this power carefully.
Vijaykumar H.K. Raichur, Karnataka
Parting shot
Sir — This year’s Pushkar fair saw a ban on camel trade to stop the spread of lumpy skin disease. However, traders were not informed of this in advance. This was thoughtless and unfair.
Kunal Kanti Konar, Calcutta
