Irresistible offer
Sir — It is the season of chaitra sale and most Bengalis will admit to having been led astray by offers they could not refuse. While dhakai sarees on sale are not the same as goats, the latter are proving to be quite the attraction on an Italian island that is overrun by these caprinaes. Alicudi has six times the number of wild goats as it does humans, leading authorities to declare that people can take away as many goats as possible for a nominal fee. This ‘adopt-a-goat’ programme has become massively popular. One only hopes that buyers will not get more than they need as Bengalis do during chaitra sale.
Reema Biswas, Siliguri
Political clash
Sir — The governor of West Bengal, C.V. Ananda Bose, has directed the state government to remove the education minister, Bratya Basu, from the council of ministers for allegedly holding a political meeting on a university campus (“Axe-Bratya ‘diktat’ from governor,” April 5). A governor does not have the authority to remove a minister for violating the Model Code of Conduct before an election. The appointment and the removal of ministers in a state cabinet are responsibilities of the chief minister. The governor could have brought the matter to the Election Commission of India’s attention instead of ordering Basu’s removal.
Debaprasad Bhattacharya, Calcutta
Sir — The nasty spat between the governor of West Bengal and the state government over the post of the vice-chancellor of the Gour Banga University is unfortunate. The only ones suffering in the ongoing tussle between the governor and the government are the students. This stalemate must be solved urgently.
Arun Kumar Baksi, Calcutta
Sir — The argument between C.V. Ananda Bose and Bratya Basu is another instance of the Centre’s lack of respect for federalism. Last month, for instance, Bratya Basu had rightly suggested that the Human Resource Development Centre of the University of Calcutta should have been renamed after noteworthy Bengali scholars instead of Madan Mohan Malaviya (“Bratya frowns on Malaviya tag”, Mar 9). The sentiments of Bengalis and the legacy of Bengal’s scholars should have been considered during the rechristening. The Centre must learn to respect federalism.
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
Medical miracle
Sir — It is heartening that the kidney transplant from a genetically modified pig to an American man, Richard Slayman, seems to have been successful (“Back on feet, with pig kidney”, April 5). The 62-year-old has been discharged from the Massachusetts General Hospital. Before this, xenotransplantation procedures have been largely unsuccessful. While the total cost of this procedure is not known, one hopes that it is within the reach of the common people.
Hemanta Sasmal, Howrah
Sir — Richard Slayman’s kidney transplant is a milestone that can offer hope for patients who need organ transplants. The Indian government should stop supporting pseudo-science practitioners and instead invest in cutting-edge medical research.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
Red card
Sir — The Indian men’s football team has dropped four places to 121 in the
latest Fifa rankings after losing against Afghanistan in the 2026 World Cup
qualifiers in Guwahati (“Stimac’s men drop to 121”, April 5). This slide has taken India to its worst position in the rankings in recent years. Football is a game
that induces nostalgia for many Indians who grow up idolising popular
footballers. Such a disastrous ranking is thus unfortunate.
Sourish Misra, Calcutta
