Gone missing

Sir — Kaashphool, that unmistakeable harbinger of autumn and Durga Puja, has been a rare sight in recent times. With climate change disrupting the pattern of the monsoons, kaashphool grows much later in the year. Nature plays an important part in many rituals — be it using palash flowers to make aabir during Holi or decorating the house with holly-leaf wreaths at Christmas. Unfortunately, wherever these natural markers go missing, plastic and chemicals step in to take their place — one pandal in South Calcutta has used plastic kaashphool to decorate its pandal. This turns seasonal celebrations into wasteful occasions.

Mrittika Bhowmick, Calcutta

Flippant response

Sir — The nonchalance of the Union minister for women and child development, Smriti Irani, regarding India’s rank on the Global Hunger Index is shameful. The GHI exposed a major failure of the Bharatiya Janata Party government by reporting chronic undernourishment among children. Irani’s comment that she, too, was probably hungry at any given point of a busy workday was insensitive and made light of a serious problem.

Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta

Sir — It was the attitude of the audience — supposed to be among the best and brightest minds in India — that was more frightening and enraging than Smriti Irani’s insensitive comments about the GHI. The minister has made herself a laughing stock. But her audience’s need to please her and laugh along is disconcerting. If these are the business leaders of India then there is little hope of the wide income gap in
the country ever being bridged.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Sir — Smriti Irani might have outdone the French queen, Marie Antoinette, with her crude comments about the GHI. Irani’s attempt to sweep India’s problems under the
nationalist carpet will not bear fruit.

Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta

Sir — The “India story” is not adequately represented in foreign reports like the GHI, according to Smriti Irani. Here are some data from the fifth round of the National Family Health Survey, 2019-20, which is sponsored and carried out by the government. The survey found that stunting, reflective of chronic malnutrition, has increased in 11 out of the 17 states surveyed; wasting, indicative of acute malnutrition, has also increased in 13 of these 17 states. Such malnourished children are more vulnerable to illness and disease. The percentage of underweight children has gone up in 11 of the 17 states. In Bihar and Gujarat — both states were run by ‘double-engine sarkars’ during the period of survey — 40% of children under the age of five were underweight. The numbers speak for themselves.

Pratyush Basu, Calcutta

Needless conflict

Sir — The Supreme Court has reasons to express concern about the Centre’s selection procedure when it comes to the judges recommended by the collegium. The government seems to be deliberately ignoring seniority to pick judges of its choice. One fails to understand why the Centre goes out of its way to antagonise the Supreme Court.

Arun Gupta, Calcutta

Changed equation

Sir — The homecoming of Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister of Pakistan, after four years of self-imposed exile is a pivotal moment in Pakistani politics. Sharif’s return will reinvigorate the political discourse in that country. It is also likely to impact the dynamics between the political parties, potentially leading to shifts in alliances and strategies.

In light of these developments, it is essential for the Pakistani media, civil society and the public at large to remain vigilant and ensure that the principles of democracy are upheld and that issues of national significance are addressed through peaceful and democratic means. It is a moment that calls for thoughtful reflection, open discourse, and a commitment to the principles that underpin democracy.

Maimul Safui, Howrah

Sir — Nawaz Sharif cannot possibly win the elections on his own in Pakistan. The army must have a plan to make him win. Even if this plan succeeds, will Pakistan’s economic problems go away? How will Sharif save the financially bankrupt country? The Pakistani army is pushing the country into another quagmire.

Jang Bahadur Singh, Jamshedpur

Wasteful expense

Sir — The editorial, “For pen and purse” (Oct 21), depicts only one side of the coin. Durga Puja is no longer something that is organised out of devotion. Rather, it is done by extorting money from people and with government doles — also the taxpayers’ hard-earned money. The extravagant splurge on Durga Puja in the name of unleashing the ‘creative economy’ is a sheer wastage of funds. Problems like unemployment and hunger could have been addressed to some extent with the kind of money that is spent by the various clubs on their Pujas.

Basudeb Dutta, Nadia