Fishing for praise

Sir — It is annoying that the subtle art of buying good fish does not get its due credit (“The one that slithered away”, Mar 26). Wine connoisseurs are lauded for their refined palates and get paid good money to help customers buy the choicest vintages. Cooking shows abound with praise for professional chefs who can differentiate between fresh produce and not-so-fresh ingredients. Why, then, is the discerning Bengali who can tell at a mere glance if a fish is more than a couple of days old not feted similarly? Perhaps the rise of the meat and fish delivery apps has put paid to the talents of the discerning buyers of fish. My grandfather could spot the freshest ilish from this side of the Padma river from miles away, but why go so far when there is home delivery?

Badal Sinha, Calcutta

Rallying point

Sir — The expulsion of the Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, from the Lok Sabha after he was convicted of defamation in a lower court has momentarily become a new rallying point for the Opposition (“Too cloudy”, Mar 28). His disqualification is rightly being viewed as a politically motivated move orchestrated by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party. It has prompted parties like the Aam Aadmi Party, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and the Trinamul Congress to condemn the act as dictatorial. However, this temporary unity is motivated by self-preservation. These parties still do not see eye to eye on several critical issues. A robust and united Opposition remains a work in progress.

Khokan Das, Calcutta

Sir — The public appeal made by the Congress leader, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, is significant (“Cong ‘coward’ label on PM, ‘Daro Mat’ message to people”, Mar 27). The verdict of the Surat court against Rahul Gandhi is unduly harsh. The prime minister is clearly trying to avoid accountability in the Gautam Adani episode by maintaining stony silence in Parliament. It is time that the Opposition parties joined hands and demanded answers from the Centre.

S.S. Paul, Nadia

Sir — While it may be true that the disqualification of the Congress member of Parliament, Rahul Gandhi, is unfair, the suggestion that all the Congress MPs should resign in protest is unnecessary. Instead, the MPs should follow the example of Congress lawmakers in Tamil Nadu and observe a sit-in inside the premises of Parliament. Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification may come as a blessing in disguise and help in bringing together Opposition parties on a common platform. The Congress must set aside false pride and form equal partnerships with parties like the TMC, AAP and BRS for the general elections.

N. Mahadevan, Chennai

Sporting cheer

Sir — Nikhat Zareen has become the second Indian boxer to win two gold medals at the Women’s World Boxing Championships after M.C. Mary Kom (“Nikhat & Lovlina make it a Super Sunday”, Mar 27). For the other winner, Lovlina Borgohain, her gold medal was made sweeter by the fact that she had to work hard after shifting out of her traditional welterweight category of 69 kilogrammes to the middleweight category of 75 kilogrammes. Nitu Ghanghas has dominated throughout the tournament en route to her gold medal, while Saweety Boora followed up her silver medal at the 2014 tournament with a gold here. Their success bears testimony to the strides women in India have made in this sport. Their medals will surely inspire hundreds of young girls to don boxing gloves.

Bal Govind, Noida

Sir — Breaking the glass ceiling in the male-dominated arena of sport, four female athletes have won gold medals at the WWBC. Their success alerts us to the immense potential that women have in boxing. These stars are worthy successors to the legacy left behind by M.C. Mary Kom.

Akanksha Singh, Delhi

Sir — There has been no dearth of good news for fans of women’s sports in India this weekend. The inaugural edition of the Women’s Premier League was a cracking success with Mumbai Indians winning the title. India also had four gold medallists at the WWBC. Lovlina Borgohain was finally able to bag a gold medal after winning bronze medals in 2018 and 2019. Nitu Ghanghas, Saweety Boora and Nikhat Zareen added to the tally.

Shruti Sharma, Ujjain

Sir — The planned manner in which the Mumbai Indians women’s team defeated the Delhi Capitals to lift the WPL trophy deserves to be lauded. The strong 72- run partnership between Nat Sciver-Brunt and Harmanpreet Kaur was instrumental to the Mumbai team’s run chase. Kaur has shown how much she has evolved after India’s disappointing loss in the semi-final of the Women’s T20 World Cup.

Jayanta Datta, Hooghly

Comic hero

Sir — The Malayali actor, Innocent, was a comic artist par excellence. He regaled us with his comic roles. His inspirational memoir, Laughter in the Cancer Ward, based on his experiences as a cancer survivor, will continue to motivate people even after his demise.

G. David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Sir — The unexpected death of the Malayali character actor, Innocent, has left an immense void in the Malayalam film industry. It is also an irreparable loss to the world of cinema. He will be remembered for his witty mannerisms and eloquent dialogue delivery. Films like Kilukkam and Vietnam Colony catapulted Innocent to fame and recognition.

M. Pradyu, Kannur, Kerala