A merry shot
Sir — In the age of smartphones with cameras, it is difficult to engage in merrymaking without being photographed from embarrassing angles. A viral photograph from a few days before Christmas features three police officers arresting a drunken man as a young couple and others casually pose around them, lying down, pouting and taking selfies. This might not have seemed out of the ordinary had it not been for the eerie likeness that the photograph has with Renaissance paintings of alcohol-fuelled carousing, such as The Drunken Couple by Steen Jan Havicksz. Long before the camera existed, people who let their guards down in Dionysian revelries have been documented on canvas. The desire to catch one’s friends unawares is thus as old as time itself.
Lena Tamang, Siliguri
Some action
Sir — The Centre has finally woken up to the sorry state of affairs in Indian wrestling and begun to set things right in the face of mounting pressure from athletes. The Union sports ministry has suspended the newly-elected executive committee of the Wrestling Federation of India (“WFI suspended after protest”, Dec 25). Charges of sexual harassment against the former chief of the WFI, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, must be resolved with utmost urgency to send out the message that no one is above the law. It is important to make sports a safe sector for women. Perhaps the presidency of the WFI should be handed over to a former woman wrestler. This incident also highlights the need to overhaul sports administration in India.
G. David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Sir — The newly-elected and now suspended chief of the WFI, Sanjay Singh, is a close associate of the Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, the former head of the wrestling body who faces charges of sexual harassment. This implies that the election process might have been a sham. It is no wonder that Sakshi Malik hung up her boots and Bajrang Punia returned his Padma Shri in protest against his election. Although Sanjay Singh and other members of the WFI have now been suspended by the Union sports ministry, questions persist about the unprofessional manner in which sports federations are run in India.
S.S. Paul, Nadia
Sir — One hopes that the suspension of the WFI officials by the Union sports ministry is not a mere gimmick to quell the protests by the wrestlers. The accused former president, Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, should be fairly investigated and, if found guilty, prosecuted for sexually harassing the wrestlers.
Ananda Dulal Ghosh, Howrah
Blood on the hands
Sir — The army has ordered a high-level internal probe into the alleged torture and custodial deaths of three civilians, Showkat Hussain, Safeer Hussain and Shabir Ahmed, in Poonch (“Army to probe Poonch deaths”, Dec 25). The fact that the Centre has been quick to offer compensation to the families of the deceased and jobs to the next of kin is a clear sign of institutional guilt. Although the Indian army is investigating the matter and has removed some officials from leadership roles, many such cases have remained unresolved in the past with soldiers going scot-free. One wonders then if the ‘Naya Kashmir’ that the prime minister and the Union home minister boast of is really any different from the Valley of yore.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
Sir — The custodial deaths of civilians in Poonch has rightfully triggered allegations of the misuse of the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (“Action follows Poonch excesses”, Dec 26). A brigadier, a colonel and two other officers have been removed from their leadership posts so that an internal investigation can take place. It is essential for the Centre to realise that army excesses will not help it bring peace back to the region.
Jishnu Mahato, Calcutta
Sir — The targeting of innocent civilians in response to militant activity in Jammu and Kashmir is deeply troubling. This fuels resentment and alienation among the people. To resolve the Kashmir dilemma, New Delhi must address the legitimate political aspirations of the people and protect their identity and culture.
Jahangir Shaikh, Mumbai
Sir — The custodial killings of three civilians in the Poonch district of Jammu are nothing but cold-blooded murders. Civilians are easy targets for the army and the police. An impartial judicial inquiry is imperative.
Fakhrul Alam, Calcutta
Great insult
Sir — It is not surprising that members of the Bharatiya Janata Party, which is known for its divisive politics, would belittle Swami Vivekananda, the man who championed equality and fraternity among people (“BJP has insulted Swamiji: Trinamul”, Dec 25). Not only did a young Vivekananda question caste divisions by smoking a hookah reserved for the so-called lower castes but he also worshipped a Muslim girl child in 1898 for kumari puja. Instead of paying lip service to Vivekananda, the BJP should try to imbibe his values and treat all citizens as equal.
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
Sir — Swami Vivekananda is not the first eminent Bengali to be disrespected by the BJP. For instance, the former vice-chancellor of Visva-Bharati University recently omitted Rabindranath Tagore’s name from a commemorative plaque placed at the heritage institution. The BJP state unit president, Sukanta Majumdar, is a Bengali; as such, he should know more about the state’s cultural history. He should not have criticised Vivekananda.
Arun Gupta, Calcutta
