Costly fame

Sir — Being famous can have its pitfalls. A two-month-old female pygmy hippopotamus, Moo Deng, at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand has become a sensation with thousands queuing up daily to catch a glimpse of her. The footfall at the zoo has nearly doubled after fan videos obsessing over the hippo’s pink cheeks and podgy frame became a rage on the internet. The public fixation with Deng is such that she has already inspired a cosmetic line. However, there have been incidents of unruly visitors throwing shellfish and even splashing water at Moo to elicit a reaction from her for their reels. This is infuriating. Pygmy hippos are an endangered species. People’s fascination with Moo Deng, it seems, is devoid of empathy for her vulnerable existence.

Mridul Basak, Noida

Malicious twists

Sir — During his recent visit to the United States of America, Rahul Gandhi, the leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said that the government can consider scrapping the reservation system only when India becomes a “fair place” providing equal opportunities to every section of society. The Bharatiya Janata Party and the godi media have misrepresented his statement by alleging that the Congress would abolish the reservation system if it is voted to power.

The BJP is bent on spreading fear among the electorate before the upcoming assembly elections. Further, Sanjay Gaikwad, a Shiv Sena legislator, has announced a reward for anyone who would chop off Rahul Gandhi’s tongue. This has exposed the vicious mindset of the BJP and its allies.

Jang Bahadur Singh, Jamshedpur

Sir — Political leaders, especially from the Opposition, have a tendency to comment on India’s shortcomings during their foreign visits. In a democracy, political representatives have the right to criticise their opponents. But they must do so inside the country. Rahul Gandhi’s comments during his recent visit to the US did not behove his constitutional post. The Congress leader should exercise restraint while commenting on India’s internal matters on foreign soil.

Anandmal Subbu, Chennai

Sir — Rahul Gandhi has always been forthright about fielding difficult questions on India’s political crisis. This is in stark contrast to the prime minister, Narendra Modi, who prefers to stay away from press conferences whether in India or abroad. During an interaction with the media in Washington, Rahul Gandhi spoke thoughtfully on a number of crucial issues, ranging from India’s foreign policy to its domestic concerns. However, his remark on India’s quota system during an interaction with students of Georgetown University has sparked controversy.

The ruling dispensation at the Centre has often criticised Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in foreign countries as ‘anti-national’ or ‘anti-Hindu’. Rahul Gandhi only highlighted the ugly truth about India. The BJP would thus do well to introspect and accept his statements with a promise of improving on these failures.

Janga Bahadur Sunuwar, Jalpaiguri

Sir — Sanjay Gaikwad’s announcement of a Rs 11 lakh reward for anyone who would chop off Rahul Gandhi’s tongue is an instance of hate-mongering. The Congress leader did not state that the reservation system would be withdrawn. On the contrary, he demanded the removal of the 50% limit on reservations. The government is creating an atmosphere of confusion by spreading misinformation. Gaikwad must be punished for instigating violence.

Zakir Hussain, Kazipet, Telangana

Unjust rule

Sir — Female athletes in Afghanistan have been debarred from engaging in sports by the Taliban. This has forced many women sportspersons to leave the country. Describing the prohibition as part of the Taliban’s institutionalised system of gender discrimination and oppression, several United Nations experts have called on national and international sports bodies to take decisive action in this matter. This is heartening. The ban on female athletes is part of the broader effort by the Taliban to marginalise women.

Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai

Bittersweet

Sir — The editorial, “Mixed bag” (Sept 17), provides a bittersweet picture of women’s participation in the fields of medicine in India. The positive aspect is that women’s enrolment in medical colleges has become equal to that of men. The bad news is that infrastructural lapses and lack of safety deter women from excelling in medicine. This is evident from the intense mass agitation demanding safe working conditions for women health practitioners that has gripped West Bengal in the aftermath of the rape and murder of a woman doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital. It is hoped that adequate legislation will be implemented to improve the situation for women.

K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam

Partial love

Sir — Whenever the Bharatiya Janata Party finds itself on a sticky wicket, its leaders tend to visit temples to consolidate the Hindu vote bank. The prime minister, Narendra Modi, had visited the temple in Kedarnath and meditated there for nearly 15 hours before the final phase of the 2019 general elections. In the recent Lok Sabha elections, the BJP’s vote share was dented. Now with assembly elections due in several states, the prime minister, Narendra Modi, recently announced the birth of a calf named ‘Deepjyoti’ at his official residence. Photographs of Modi petting the calf have gone viral on social media. It is unfortunate that while Modi has been showering his love on a pet, he has not found it in his heart to visit the people of Manipur who have been suffering for more than a year.

Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai