Spoiler alert

Sir — Anticipation and the suspension of disbelief are key ingredients of a pleasurable viewing experience. Is thatwhy spoilers, which reveal important plot twists of a newly-released television show or film before a person has watched it, seem to be so cruel? Recently, the most consequential plotline of the TV series, Succession, was spoiled for its die-hard fans owing to the circulation of content about the show on social media even before the broadcast of the latest episode had ended. Staying off social media cannot be a foolproof plan to avoid spoilers. This is perhaps where willing suspension of disbelief can come in. If one can be invested enough in fictional content to be bothered by spoilers, surely they can also turn a blind eye to them?

Akash Dey,Jamshedpur

Grisly crime

Sir — It is shocking that the former Samajwadi Party member of Parliament and alleged gangster, Atiq Ahmed, and his brother, Ashraf Ahmed, were sprayed with bullets while under police escort by three assailants in Allahabad (“Suspect surrenders with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ cry”, April 17). This happened even after Atiq Ahmed had moved the Supreme Court last month, alleging that there was a threat to his life from the police and the court had assured him that the Uttar Pradesh government would take care of his safety. The twin murders thus indicate a total collapse of the law and order situation in the state.

The killings were captured live on television cameras. This exposes the dangers that journalists are often vulnerable to while covering any incident or interviewing an accused. Further, the Opposition must make the murders the prime poll plank to attack the Bharatiya Janata Party-led dispensations both at the Centre and at the state.

R. Narayanan,Navi Mumbai

Sir — The three perpetrators who killed Atiq Ahmed and his brother in police custody posed as media personnel and did not even make an attempt to escape after the incident. Moreover, they chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ while surrendering to the police. These highlight the communal undertone of the grisly murders. The government must not only bring the bigger conspirators of the crime to book but also do what it takes to uphold the rule of law in the democracy.

Ajay Meena,Jodhpur

Learning woes

Sir — In his column, “Maiming India” (April 16), Mukul Kesavan sheds light on the ruling regime’s attempts to rewrite India’s history that is in line with Hindutva politics. This is evident in the deletion of the chapters on Mughal rule from the history curriculum by the National Council of Educational Research and Training. These excisions, as rightly argued by Kesavan, are similar to the distortion of history in Pakistan in order to justify it as a Muslim nation state.

The restructuring of India’s past is leading to the increased subjugation of Muslims. This will have a disastrous effect on the pluralist ethos of the country.

Yousuf Iqbal,Calcutta

Sir — The recently released pre-draft of the National Curriculum Framework for school education proposes a significant number of changes in the teaching as well as the examination systems (“Small steps”, April 17). Education should be imparted in a way that students gain an equal understanding of the past and the present. While the proposal to include ancient texts in the syllabus is welcome, care should be taken to teach students to separate fact from fiction. This should also be accompanied by an overhaul of infrastructure so as to avoid any undue burden on students.

Venu G.S.,Kollam, Kerala

Sir — The National Education Policy 2020 envisions harnessing India’s potential not only in digital education but also in strategic education. This will provide opportunities for aspirants to channel creative ideas to counter India’s defence challenges.

However, the NEP should also factor in the rising level of stress among the youth as a result of a hyper-competitive environment. The increasing rate of suicides in premium educational institutions is an example.

Sravana Ramachandran,Chennai

Timely act

Sir — It is heartening that the West Bengal government has directed all educational institutions to remain shut for a week owing to the ongoing heat wave-like conditions (“Heat holiday for schools, colleges”, April 17). However, there is an urgent need to continue the classes online so that there is no gap in learning. The authorities must thus ensure that each student has access to digital infrastructure such as mobile phones and the internet.

Swaroop Das,Calcutta

Welcome step

Sir — The West Bengal Raj Bhavan was opened to the public for the first time in its 220-year-old history on the occasion of Poila Baishakh. Visitors got a rare chance to explore the heritage building. The governor, C.V. Ananda Bose, also inaugurated the heritage walk, which will formally begin at a later date. The governor must be thanked for this decision.

Sourish Misra,Calcutta

Incredible legacy

Sir — It was unfortunate to learn that Mary Quant, the British fashion designer who popularised the miniskirt, passed away at the age of 93. The miniskirt — a manifestation of the Swinging Sixties — revolutionised women’s fashion in a way that not only provided comfort and practicality but also liberated women from restrictive formal clothing in the post-war period. Quant’s incredible legacy is indicated by the fact that the mini skirt continues to be a roaring fashion statement even 70 years later.

Vijay Singh Adhikari,Nainital