Pick wisely
Sir — Indians are used to the government telling them what not to eat. South Koreans got a taste of such an order recently when the government there asked the people not to consume toothpicks. The practice of eating fried toothpicks — thankfully they are not literal toothpicks but are made of starch — has gone viral in South Korea owing to mukbang food bloggers who usually eat enormous amounts of unusual types of food. Unlike the wildly popular Chinese pebble curry, South Korea’s toothpicks are at least edible. Alas, if only toothpicks could actually be consumed, Indian weddings might have been able to prevent some wastage in the form of the multiple toothpicks used to consume finger food.
Satarupa Das, Calcutta
Too little
Sir — It is heartening that Israel has finally proposed to halt its military offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip for up to two months (“Hope of 2-month Gaza war halt in US deal plan” Jan 29). In return, Tel Aviv is seeking the gradual release of the remaining hostages held by Hamas. However, this proposal does not heed Hamas’s demand for Tel Aviv to end the war completely. The offer must also include withdrawal of Israeli forces from the most populated areas of the Gaza Strip and the gradual return of Palestinians to the places they were ordered to evacuate.
Khokan Das, Calcutta
Sir — Hamas is likely to reject Israel’s offer of a two-month truce in exchange for the release of all Israeli hostages. While there is no condoning Hamas, one understands the reasons for this probable refusal. Without the hostages, Hamas — and, in turn, Palestinians — will have no bargaining chip on its hands, leaving the field wide open for Israel to carry on with its genocidal activities in the Gaza Strip.
Hamza Ferozie, Calcutta
Allied interests
Sir — India and France have agreed to intensify their cooperation in the southwest Indian Ocean region and welcomed the progress in bilateral dialogue and the identification of specific opportunities to use India as a base for the manufacture and export of defence equipment. France is the first major Western military power with which India has conducted joint naval patrols. These interactions will contribute positively to the securitisation of strategic sea lanes of communication.
Karan Singh, Chennai
Sir — India and France are kindred souls on the global stage. They are both important powers globally, with France being a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council. It is thus not surprising that their relationship has attracted attention in all major capitals, from Washington to Berlin to Moscow to Beijing. The two countries complement each other in many areas. They do not carry historical baggage and do not have any major bilateral differences. Where such differences exist, the two sides have shown a remarkable ability to overcome them. Relations between them are time-tested in every sense of the term.
Ashok K. Sen, Calcutta
Novel stripes
Sir — The chief minister of Odisha, Naveen Patnaik, has announced the establishment of a melanistic tiger safari at the Similipal Tiger Reserve in Mayurbhanj. This is a laudable initiative. People are eager to see India’s black tigers most of which are at present in the Similipal Tiger Reserve. These tigers are not a distinct species but a rare colour variant of the Royal Bengal Tiger. Once this safari starts, it will draw crowds both from India and abroad. The government should take similar initiatives not only to breed more such special tigers but also to conserve vulnerable species like the African cheetahs. Efforts should also be made to ensure that such rare animals are not restricted to one state.
Sourav Malik, South 24 Parganas
Gone awry
Sir — The Right to Education Act was passed to provide quality education to students irrespective of class, caste and economic status. Yet, it has led to a deterioration of unaided private schools. For instance, several schools in Maharashtra are dependent on State largesse for their functioning. But State grants are not uniform — it went down during the pandemic, for example. The law was enacted with a noble intention but it is harming schools.
Dattaprasad Shirodkar, Mumbai
Rescue mission
Sir — The Indian warship, INS Sumitra, ensured the safe release of an Iranian-flagged fishing vessel and its crew members after it was hijacked by some pirates off the east coast of Somalia (“Navy yet again comes to rescue of hijacked ship”, Jan 30). This is not the first such rescue mission. The Indian navy’s contribution to keeping international waters secure must be lauded.
Bhagwan Thadani, Mumbai
Stop the abuse
Sir — A worrying study reveals that 77% of Indian children have faced online harassment on Facebook and other social media sites. Recognising this alarming trend, many schools have urged parents to monitor children’s internet activity and educate them about safety precautions. These proactive steps are welcome.
N. Ashraf, Mumbai
An act to remember
Sir — The passing of Sreela Majumder, who played outstanding roles in several Indian films helmed by directors such as Mrinal Sen and Shyam Benegal, has left a lasting void in the world of Indian cinema (“Actress Sreela Majumder dead”, Jan 28). It is regrettable that she was not honoured with commensurate awards for her contributions during her lifetime.
Jahar Saha, Calcutta
