Love bites
Sir — It is a truism that the way to the heart is through the stomach. Be it a home-cooked meal by a loved one or aphrodisiacs such as chocolates and strawberries, food can release dopamine that mimics the feeling of being in love. It is thus not surprising that Kimuraya, a Japanese bakery chain, has used Artificial Intelligence to produce five varieties of bread that allegedly capture feelings associated with romance. These seem perfect for those from Gen Z who are too impatient for elaborate relationships and will prefer experiencing the full range of romance in a few bites.
Srimanti Basu, Calcutta
Unlawful scheme
Sir — Given the concerns surrounding electoral bonds, it is not surprising that the Supreme Court has struck the scheme down as unlawful (“Unconstitutional bond”, Feb 16). It has also directed the State Bank of India to furnish the details of the electoral bonds received by political parties to the Election Commission of India by March 6. This will reveal how much each individual or business group donated to a party via electoral bonds.
These bonds were introduced allegedly to counter opacity in political donations. Yet, they ended up doing the exact opposite. While it is difficult to determine whether the apex court’s judgment will ensure transparency, people need to know the amounts of political donations and the identities of those making them. The Opposition, though, must not simply treat the verdict as a win because just like the Bharatiya Janata Party, it too has accepted such donations.
Abhijit Roy, Jamshedpur
Sir — The striking down of the electoral bonds scheme owing to it being unconstitutional is laudable. The unanimous verdict of the Supreme Court will pave the way for transparency. The scheme had encouraged a nexus between businessmen and political parties. Denying voters such crucial information as the funding details of the parties seeking votes is a violation of their right to information. The apex court deserves praise for standing up for democracy.
D.V.G. Sankara Rao, Andhra Pradesh
Sir — The Supreme Court’s landmark verdict regarding the electoral bonds scheme may level the playing field when it comes to electoral funding. The verdict of the five-judge bench headed by the Chief Justice of India is exhaustive. A careful reading of the judgment will highlight the unscrupulous practices and intentions of the National Democratic Alliance government. The prime minister now has a lot of explaining to do.
K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam
Sir — While striking down the electoral bonds scheme, the apex court also rightly highlighted that the right to privacy regarding political affiliation is sacrosanct in a democracy. However, the political affiliations of large corporations cannot be equated with those of individual donors given the quid pro quo between the State and corporate houses.
Mohammad Taukir, Bettiah, Bihar
Sir — The ruling party at the Centre had clearly misappropriated the electoral bonds scheme to perpetuate a steady flow of money from corporate houses in exchange for favourable policy decisions. The apex court has thus rightly struck this scheme down as unconstitutional.
Arun Gupta, Calcutta
Sir — Soon after the apex court ruled against the use of electoral bonds, media houses seem to have become vocal about the possibility of misusing such a means. The fear of the government’s axe was perhaps the reason for their prolonged silence thus far. The media has failed to uphold its role as the fourth pillar of democracy.
Anthony Henriques, Mumbai