Added stress
Sir — Workplace stress is a rising concern all over the world. Recently, an Indian company found a controversial way to deal with work stress. A Noida-based start-up allegedly asked its employees to take part in a survey to find out whether they experienced work-related stress. After nearly 100 employees reported feeling stressed, instead of resorting to remedial measures, the company decided to sack them. In a thinly-veiled attempt to threaten its workers, the company sent an email stating that in a bid to reduce workplace stress, it had to “part ways with employees” who were stressed. However, with increasing inflation and the rising cost of living, will not this threat cause stress among the remaining employees who did not report experiencing work stress?
Banhisikha Sardar, Calcutta
Great fall
Sir — The fall of Bashar al-Assad proves that every tyrant’s rule comes to an end (“Assad clan falls, Syria rejoices”, Dec 9). Millions of people have been killed, oppressed and tortured during the nearly six-decade-long autocratic rule by the Assads. The al-Assad family has ruled Syria since Hafez al-Assad became president in 1971 under the Ba’ath Party. After his death in 2000, his son, Bashar al-Assad, replaced him.
Since 2000, Bashar al-Assad’s forces have killed more than 350,000 opponents and imprisoned and tortured countless people. Bashar al-Assad has now fled to Russia. The Kremlin has, for decades, supported the al-Assad family and its oppressive regime.
Jang Bahadur Singh, Jamshedpur
Sir — Bashar al-Assad had acquired a medical degree from abroad and had initially introduced several economic reforms. However, the long and cruel rule by the al-Assads had already triggered an internal resistance, which was further fuelled by Syria’s neighbours. This caused Bashar al-Assad to revert to the suppression of the people. Given the oppressive tactics, his rule should have ended earlier.
The United States of America has been quick to blame Russia for sustaining Bashar al-Assad’s power in Syria even though the former was complicit in the creation of a similar situation in Afghanistan. The US president-elect, Donald Trump, will soon wash his hands of Ukraine, thereby reducing the US’s moral leverage of fighting off dictators.
R. Narayanan, Navi Mumbai
Sir — The ouster of the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, following the long-drawn revolution should ring a warning bell for dictators worldwide. Bashar al-Assad has been accused of numerous war crimes, including the use of chemical weapons against civilians. Widespread poverty, corruption, unemployment, and inflation had urged Syrians to revolt.
Despite the facade of economic reforms and modernisation, Syria had remained an autocracy. Similar to the current Indian regime, the Bashar al-Assad government cracked down on the Opposition and imprisoned activists. One hopes that Syria does not meet the same fate of lawlessness as Bangladesh after the fall of the Sheikh Hasina Wazed regime. The new era in Syria should not provide a safe haven to terrorist outfits as well.
Zakir Hussain, Kazipet, Telangana
Sir — The result of trying to control and oppress the people has been well-demonstrated by the Syrian revolution. Countries like Sri Lanka and Bangladesh too recently ousted their corrupt leaders. This should serve as an eye-opener for other dictators. Ruling parties must uphold democratic values and treat the Opposition parties with respect.
Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai
Addiction trap
Sir — Recently, the headmaster of a school in Halishahar, Manotosh Bandopadhyay, attempted to save his students from the clutches of a crippling addiction to smartphones (“Short-lived move to improve study”, Dec 7). The students were invested in social media even though their academic performance declined drastically. After their poor results in examinations, the students agreed to surrender their smartphones and prioritise their education on Bandopadhyay’s directive.
Unfortunately, the plan was foiled when the Trinamool Congress municipal councillor, Partha Saha, intervened, calling Bandyopadhyay’s move “anti-government”. Clearly, the state government cares more about the implementation of populist schemes than the welfare of students.
Jahar Saha, Calcutta
Sir — The students of Halisahar High School (HS) in North 24 Parganas were forced to retrieve their mobile phones from the custody of their headmaster, Manotosh Bandopadhyay. Bandopadhyay, distraught by the students’ addiction to phones, had temporarily confiscated their devices to help them focus on the upcoming examinations.
Social media addiction is on the rise among teens, resulting in restlessness, lack of sleep, reduced physical interactions, and an inability to concentrate on studies. The government’s move to equip students with smartphones so that they can access vast resources of virtual knowledge is commendable. However, its insistence on implementing the scheme without assessing the associated risks is concerning. The state government should learn from the Australian government’s move to ban teenagers from using social media platforms.
Hemanta Sasmal, Howrah
Restored heritage
Sir — It is heartening that France’s Notre Dame Cathedral reopened for visitors recently after it was meticulously restored following a devastating fire in 2019 that nearly destroyed the 860-year-old medieval building (“Restored Notre Dame reopens 5 years after fire”, Dec 8). History buffs will now surely throng the spectacular cathedral.
Sourish Misra, Calcutta
