Sombre start

Sir — Janus, the Roman god in whose honour the month of January is named, is believed to have had two heads, one looking at the past and the other at the future. It was for Janus that the Romans observed a New Year festival, which was marked by the exchange of gifts. However, unlike Janus, modern humans do not have an eye on the future while celebrating New Year. This has dire consequences for those born in the month of January. Research shows that January-borns receive fewer birthday presents owing to financial constraints stemming from Christmas and New Year festivities. They thus lose out on a whopping £1,120.11 or so in gifts in a lifetime. Being born in the first month of the year, then, is anything but festive.

Suchetna Das, North 24 Parganas

Lost values

Sir — There has been a systematic annihilation of the Nehruvian values that were the cornerstones of Indian democracy. The nation, at present, seems to have been ‘rediscovered’ in a new light that is emanating from the Ram mandir (“Temple fever”, Jan 22). The date of the inauguration of the temple, January 22, symbolises the obliteration of secularism — a fundamental tenet of the Constitution.

The construction of the Ram mandir at the spot where the Babri masjid had stood for centuries before it was illegally demolished in 1992 is the realisation of the Hindutva dream. It sends a clear message: multi-cultural secularity in India has been replaced by muscle-flexing Hindutva. This makes a mockery of history and the Constitution.

Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta

Sir — The article, “Temple fever”, by Sevanti Ninan makes for comprehensive and compulsory reading. The frenzy around the Ram temple has become one of the distinguishing features of contemporary politics in India. Hindu hardliners have been hailing the construction of the temple as the beginning of Ramrajya. Only time will tell whether this so-called Ramrajya will herald the rooting out of ills like poverty, corruption, inflation and unemployment.

Sunil Chopra, Ludhiana

Sir — The consecration of the Ram temple has been a long-standing agenda of the Hindu Right. Ideally, a temple and a mosque could have existed side by side. Such an arrangement would epitomise India’s religious diversity and communal harmony. Hailing the consecration of the Ram temple as the ‘reawakening of Hindu pride’ goes against the cherished secular ethos of the country. India’s seeming descent into theocracy should be resisted. Every citizen should thwart State attempts at weaponising religion.

G. David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Alternative idea

Sir — It is surprising that the Congress president, Mallikarjun Kharge, has stated that his party is opposed to the idea of simultaneous elections at the Centre and in the states and suggested that the high-powered committee looking into the issue be dissolved (“Dissolve one-poll panel: Congress”, Jan 20). Conducting separate elections multiple times a year incurs massive government expenditure. Therefore, holding simultaneous elections is a viable alternative.

If the Congress president and other INDIA leaders are of the opinion that simultaneous elections are undemocratic, they should have moved the apex court against the formation of the committee. The Congress’s opposition is an attempt to gain political mileage.

N. Viswanathan, Coimbatore

Sir — The Narendra Modi-led government has renewed efforts to hold simultaneous polls in India. Last year, the NITI Aayog released a paper arguing in favour of simultaneous elections, parroting the sentiments of the ruling regime. It was suggested that holding synchronised elections at the Centre and in the states every five years would significantly cut down on administrative expenses and reduce policy paralysis.

Enshrining simultaneous elections into India’s political edifice would require a slew of constitutional amendments. One should thus be prepared for the Modi government to set the necessary constitutional reforms in motion if it returns to power in the upcoming general elections.

Khokan Das, Calcutta

Unequal sky

Sir — There was a time when flights of the State carriers, Air India and Indian Airlines, would be frequently cancelled owing to staff strikes. One expected the situation to improve once private airlines were allowed to operate in India. Unfortunately, this has not been the case. Currently, air travel is plagued by frequent flight cancellations, ostensibly due to bad weather conditions and ‘operational issues’ (“Air of turbulence”, Jan 21).

The private carrier, IndiGo, has emerged as a serial offender owing to its virtual monopoly in the sector. The aviation regulator should crack the whip on private carriers.

V. Jayaraman, Chennai

Sir — Recent delays and cancellations in the domestic airline sector have been troublesome for the public. The absence of competition in private aviation is the cause of this predicament. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation should implement strict regulations and introduce new players to reduce monopoly in the domestic air travel industry.

Fateh Najamuddin, Lucknow

Harsh reality

Sir — The vagaries of climate change are best exemplified by the near-zero temperatures in Tamil Nadu and the absence of snowfall in Kashmir. The detrimental impacts of global warming are manifesting themselves in various other ways across India, including in reduced crop yields and elevated risk of tropical diseases. These effects will perpetuate poverty and inequality.

Dhananjay Sinha, Calcutta