Rock solid bond

Sir — Getting pets is a full-time responsibility. They need to be fed regularly, exercised, groomed and constantly showered with love and affection. Strangely enough, a new trend of purchasing rocks and keeping them as pets has become popular among South Korean millennials. The owners adorn their rocks with facial expressions and even carry them around in their pockets. South Koreans are among the most overworked populations in the world and the ‘pet rock’ trend, experts suggest, may be seen as a response to widespread loneliness and burnout. While a non-living stone may provide hassle-free companionship as opposed to a regular pet, could it be that humanity is retracing its path to the Stone Age to find that elusive mental peace?

Sima Roy, Calcutta

Rhetoric changes

Sir — The low voter turnout in the first two phases of the ongoing Lok Sabha elections seems to have unnerved the Bharatiya Janata Party (“New spin after low Round II”, April 28). This may have prompted the prime minister, Narendra Modi, to change the tone of his electioneering. After boasting about the BJP clinching ‘chaar sau paar’ before the first round of polling and then falling back on his pet themes of communal polarisation and the vilification of Muslims and the Congress before the second phase, Modi has since abandoned these pitches and has focused on welfareism of backward communities ahead of the third phase. This betrays not only his divisive mindset but also his apprehension about losing ground to the INDIA coalition.

Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai

Sir — It is appalling that Narendra Modi has been concentrating his electoral pitch only on attacking the Congress manifesto, misappropriating its salient features, and distorting them while canvassing for votes. At a recent rally, he claimed that the Congress, if elected to power, would impose an inheritance tax and confiscate the mangalsutras of Hindu women and distribute them among Muslims.

Further, while referring to speculation about an understanding within the Congress, he said that the INDIA bloc will have five prime ministers in five years if it gets a majority. Instead of falsifying facts and indulging in fearmongering, Modi should leave it to the people to decide which party to vote to power.

G. David Milton, Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Critical comment

Sir — Unsurprisingly, whenever sections of the Western media comment negatively on Narendra Modi or when India is ranked poorly on credible global indices, the saffron ecosystem is quick to smell a conspiracy against the prime minister owing to the country’s supposedly enviable growth under his leadership. On the other hand, when a foreign rating agency declares Modi as the “most popular world leader”, it is embraced as the gospel truth by the Hindutva brigade. This betrays the saffronites’ hypocrisy.

Even though Swapan Dasgupta should be credited for pointing out in his article, “Sanitary inspectors” (April 25), that a third term for the Narendra Modi government must be seen as “an emphatic rejection of an old, cosmopolitan, political elite”, if the current dispensation does end up scoring an electoral hat-trick, it will prove that bread-and-butter issues do not strike a chord with the electorate anymore. However, bhakts like Dasgupta should also realise that mere popularity cannot be used as a litmus test of efficiency.

Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta

Sir — Swapan Dasgupta’s take on the alleged biased reporting on Narendra Modi by the Western media was interesting. The major problem of the saffron ecosystem, which Dasgupta is part of, is that it is allergic to criticism. Dasgupta should introspect the key poll plank of the Bharatiya Janata Party — hatred against Muslims and Jawaharlal Nehru. The BJP leaders have no concern for the ethnic fires that have been raging in Manipur. Instead of focusing on such burning issues, the BJP is busy constructing temples and new Parliaments.

Joshua Thomas, Shillong

Fall guy

Sir — Children imbibe the concept of scapegoating, including its varied implications for justice and punishment, from their parents (“The scapegoat”, April 27). Interestingly, most action films, too, revolve around finding a scapegoat in the villain. They portray violence as a panacea for injustices and justify the targeting of the villain instead of the corrupt system.

The institution of democracy allows people to enjoy political power through the exercise of their franchise. However, owing to the internalisation of scapegoating, the public is often led to believe that it needs a high-handed leader who would punish the scapegoat to restore justice and peace.

Sujit De, Calcutta

Sir — It is in human nature to blame others for one’s own shortcomings. For instance, the current ruling dispensation has conveniently scapegoated the Mughals and the British for all the ills that are plaguing the country at present. Religious minorities such as Christians and Muslims are accused by the dispensation of having extra-territorial loyalties and, therefore, perceived as a threat to the nation.

Anthony Henriques, Mumbai

Dream team

Sir — The Board of Control for Cricket in India is in a dilemma over team selection for the T20 World Cup. The poor form of Hardik Pandya and Rohit Sharma does not augur well for the squad. Ravindra Jadeja is the best bet for an all-rounder; K.L. Rahul should be included in the squad as well. Nevertheless, widespread biases among the BCCI
officials could ruin the chances of forming the dream squad.

Tusar Kanti Kar, Howrah

Correction

The front page picture accompanying the story, “Found: The value of vultures as scavengers” (April 29), was a mistaken representation of vultures. We regret the error.