In the afterlife
Sir — Patriarchy never misses an opportunity to try and convince women that their lives would be incomplete unless they get married and have a family, not even in the afterlife. A family in Karnataka is apparently looking for a ghost groom for their daughter who passed away 30 years ago as it believes that her unmarried status is the root cause of their problems. But patriarchy is not the only thing being imposed on the afterlife: the ghost groom is also expected to be from a certain caste. Whoever thought that such worldly norms are left behind on earth with one’s mortal remains has another think coming.
Rima Roy, Calcutta
Lowly attempts
Sir — The adage, ‘a leopard never changes its spots’, was perhaps made for the Union home minister, Amit Shah (“‘Mullah, Madrasa, Mafia’”, May 16). He cannot seem to kick his habit of painting a misleading picture of his political opponents whom he accuses of offering unfair advantages to Muslims. Shah attempted to polarise the masses at a recent electoral rally in West Bengal. Such blatant communalism reveals that he is afraid that the Bharatiya Janata Party might not have a smooth sailing in the ongoing elections. No matter how many times the prime minister, Narendra Modi, claims that he does not play the Hindu-Muslim card, there is no denying that communal polarisation is the BJP’s most trusted tactic. However, Bengali voters are unlikely to be swayed by such divisive attempts.
Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta
Sir — It is a shame that Amit Shah used words like “mullah” and “madrasa” while talking of the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress. Politicians should not forget the constitutional positions that they hold while campaigning for the elections. Shah’s remarks need to be criticised by the Election Commission of India.
Fakhrul Alam, Calcutta
Have hope
Sir — The article, “Signs of trouble” (May 17), by Anup Sinha provides a comprehensive analysis of the relationship that should exist between a voter and a political candidate. While his column makes valid points about such a compact, Sinha’s conclusion is too pessimistic. He writes, “It may well happen in the not-too-distant future that India will drop the fig leaf of democratic elections. The exercise may no longer be deemed necessary for power. Discernable signs are emerging.” I don’t agree with this. Democracy is well-entrenched in India. Its foundation is unshakable.
K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam
Stellar career
Sir — Sunil Chhetri, a winner of the Arjuna and the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna awards and seven-time recipient of the All India Football Federation ‘Player of the Year’ title, has announced his retirement (“June 6, the day Chhetri plays his last”, May 17). Chhetri scored 94 international goals, coming in fourth in the all-time top international goal scorers’ list behind Cristiano Ronaldo, Ali Daei and Lionel Messi. Yet, humility is his middle name. It will not be an exaggeration to say that he is the best footballer India has produced. He is leaving a large gap in the world of Indian football.
Bal Govind, Noida
Sir — Sunil Chhetri’s stellar career is a perfect example of the rewards that can be reaped through hard work. Although Indians are addicted to cricket, none can deny the charm and allure of watching Chhetri play. He will be sorely missed.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
Sir — One hopes that Sunil Chhetri will continue to be associated with Indian football in some capacity after his retirement.
Indranil Sanyal, Calcutta
