Leaky fashion
Sir — From arsenic-dyed dresses in Victorian England to the crakows shoes in 14th-century Poland that had to be chained to the legs and hindered mobility, outlandish trends are nothing new in fashion. The latest bizarre trend seems to be Jordanluca’s ‘urine-stained denim jeans’ — it features a dark stain on the crotch area, giving the impression that the wearer had an unfortunate incident. While people have baulked at its tasteless aesthetic, there might be a possible utilitarian purpose of the design. Public urination is a nuisance in India. Perhaps pee-stained pants will motivate nuisance creators to keep their pants on.
Darshana Jain, Delhi
Wide chasm
Sir — Parakala Prabhakar’s “Road to serfdom” (May 1) was a brilliant analysis of the growing economic inequality in India and its catastrophic consequences on the population. In this context, the remark by Arvind Panagariya, the chairman of the Finance Commission, that India must not lose sleep over the rising inequality is appalling. Equally concerning is the comment by V. Anantha Nageswaran, India’s chief economic adviser, that “addressing issues such as unemployment is not the remit of the government.” Such statements betray the anti-poor mindset of the government.
If the government does not take responsibility for rising unemployment, who else will? In the absence of mitigatory steps, the unemployment crisis will fester, thus further widening the gap between the rich and the poor.
Yousuf Iqbal, Calcutta
Sir — The ruling dispensation has been perpetrating inequality by offering freebies to the poor and lucrative opportunities to the crony capitalists. The poor seem to be contended with the free rations because they have been pushed to extreme levels of destitution with no hope of upward mobility.
The rich are getting richer owing to the tacit support of the regime. However, the worst off may be the middle class, which is entitled to lucrative opportunities or freebies and is burdened with heavy taxation.
Alok Ganguly, Nadia
Robust machinery
Sir — Discrediting electronic voting machines is a favourite ploy of the political parties in the Opposition. Dismissing a clutch of petitions seeking a return to paper ballots, the Supreme Court recently upheld the constitutional validity of EVMs. The court’s argument that a shift from the EVM system would disrupt the electoral process is justified.
However, Narendra Modi’s endorsement of the verdict as a “tight slap” against his opponents is as inappropriate as Rahul Gandhi’s remark that the prime minister “can’t win any election without EVMs”. The judgment notwithstanding, the Election Commission of India should take action to remove any doubt about the electoral machinery.
Jahar Saha, Calcutta
Sir — Free and fair elections are the most important signifier of a well-functioning democracy (“The subtext”, April 30). The independent institutions of the country and their responsiveness to the needs and the concerns of the public are other important markers of democratic robustness.
Indians, however, have been forced into servility owing to the high-handedness of the ruling regime. Those in power must be accountable to the people who have put them there.
Anthony Henriques, Mumbai
Hottest spell
Sir — Calcutta has been sizzling under one of the deadliest heat spells in years (“Hottest April day in 70 years”, May 1). Deserted streets and means of transport have become the markers of the cityscape. Many Calcuttans have already flocked to Darjeeling to escape from the scorching heatwave, leading to overcrowding there.
The onset of monsoons has been significantly delayed in Bengal over the past years. On the other hand, the state has been receiving heavy showers during retreating monsoons, resulting in crop failures. This swing in rainfall pattern is a discernible impact of climate change. Authorities must take corrective measures.
Tapan Dutta, Calcutta
Sir — Different parts of the world are sizzling under intense heat waves, leading to the spread of diseases and groundwater depletion. The poor and the marginalised are disproportionately affected. This should serve as a wake-up call to address the impact of climate change on public health.
One of the key strategies is to improve the early warning system for heat waves. This can help people take preventive measures such as staying hydrated and avoiding outdoor activities.
C.K. Subramaniam, Navi Mumbai
Sir — Large swathes of southeast Calcutta and South 24 Parganas have been affected by the drastic drop in groundwater levels amidst the heatwave. Given that there is little possibility of rainfall until the weekend, people should not misuse water and restrict non-essential activities as much as possible.
D.P. Bhattacharya, Calcutta
