Regal ruminant
Sir — Only the British would think that royalty can still make a difference. Recently, King Charles III bestowed a royal title on a goat breed which will henceforth be known as the Royal Golden Guernsey Goat. These royal ruminants are a rare breed and fall under ‘at risk’ category on the Rare Breeds Watchlist. The regal title is meant to protect them since, fittingly for their new title, they are picky eaters, making survival difficult for them. However, if a royal moniker could save a species, the numbers of royal Bengal tigers in India would be far higher than it is now. It would thus be wiser to adopt sound conservation measures rather than simply honouring the goats.
Srija Biswal, Delhi
Keep it warm
Sir — The Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, has congratulated K.P. Sharma Oli, the newly-appointed prime minister of Nepal. While India and Nepal have always enjoyed warm bilateral ties, the abolition of the monarchy in Nepal in 2008 had a negative impact on this relationship. Since then, successive dispensations in Nepal sought favours from China, threatening India’s interests. Modi must continue to court Nepal so that it does not feel the need to turn to China for help.
Jakir Hussain, Kanpur
Sir — Despite the Panchsheel Agreement mandating mutually beneficial and peaceful co-existence between India and Nepal, the former has often assumed the role of the Big Brother. However, given its location, Nepal can prove to be important to India in the case of Chinese aggression. India and Nepal have jointly undertaken several developmental programmes. India should shun its diplomatic policy of benevolent superiority and focus on developing peaceful ties with Nepal.
Dimple Wadhawan, Kanpur
Desperate move
Sir — The leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, has said that the Bharatiya Janata Party in the state will observe ‘Murder of Democracy Day’ across the state on July 21, the day on which the Trinamool Congress holds its Martyrs’ Day rally (“BJP cries murder of democracy”, July 15) The Bengal BJP has suffered another setback after the recent by-elections where the TMC won all four assembly seats. Combine Adhikari’s decision with that of the Centre to observe June 25 as the Samvidhaan Hatya Diwas to commemorate the sufferings during the Emergency era and it is clear that the BJP is grasping at straws to retain its lost image after the general elections and recent by-polls. Calcutta Police must be wary of hooliganism by members of the saffron party during TMC’s Martyrs’ Day.
Ananda Dulal Ghosh, Howrah
Gaudy show
Sir — Over the last few months, the Indian media has been going gaga over the lavish wedding ceremonies of Radhika Merchant and Anant Ambani (“Still showing: Wedding without end”, July 14). Celebrities from all over the world thronged to Mumbai to participate in the celebrations. In a country where thousands of people go hungry every day, hyping high-profile weddings only makes the wealth inequality more apparent. The media seems to be at the beck and call of the Ambanis instead of chasing important news.
Janga Bahadur Sunuwar, Jalpaiguri
Sir — Despite a busy schedule that does not allow the prime minister much sleep or even the time to visit a state ravaged by ethnic clashes, Narendra Modi was able to attend the wedding ceremony of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant. The nexus between political parties and big corporations is evident.
Anthony Henriques, Mumbai
Sir — The Ambanis are free to splurge their money as they please. But the display of wealth by one of the richest families in India was obscene. What is surprising is that in a country where nearly three crore people live in extreme poverty, people cannot seem to get enough of news from the wedding. As long as the people of India remain hooked, the media will naturally cover the wedding.
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
Sir — At a time when India is reeling under unemployment and hunger, the unabashed display of wealth by the Ambani family is embarrassing. In this chaos, Rahul Gandhi has emerged as a true leader who is voicing the suffering of Indians. The elaborate wedding cannot create a deflection from all that is wrong in India.
Asim Boral, Calcutta
Sickly lives
Sir — The article, “Healers with a heart” (July 8), by Amitav Banerjee rightly highlighted changes in the healthcare system. Earlier, when physicians had limited access to diagnostic tools and expensive medicines, they used their experience to treat patients efficiently. Still, the lack of proper medicine and treatment would claim many lives back then. But even with the advancement of medical science, newer diseases have started affecting people. Additionally, diseases caused by the consumption of unhealthy food, pollution and a sedentary lifestyle have become common.
Kiran Agarwal, Calcutta