Cursed tongue

Sir — A curse can be a blessing in disguise. A study conducted in Pakistan has revealed that swearing and using foul language can be cathartic, releasing stress and, in turn, bringing down levels of anxiety and depression. Thus the more profanities a person uses in everyday speech, the better his or her mental health. It is no wonder then that more women — society frowns upon women using swear words — are depressed and anxious than men. Not only are women not allowed to curse but they also rarely have the luxury of speaking their mind. Generations of women have been taught to suppress their emotions for the sake of propriety or family reputation. Ironically, years of gender injustice means women have more reason to curse than men.

Swaranjali Joshi, Pune

Mindless terror

Sir — A terror attack on a bus carrying pilgrims in the Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir killed nine passengers and left 41 others seriously injured (“9 pilgrims killed in J&K terror attack”, June 10). Security forces on the ground need better intelligence inputs and high-tech tools to intercept such terrorist activity. Local conduits that keep terrorist groups alive with resources and manpower should be monitored closely and eliminated. A special unit in the armed forces for surveillance could be the way forward. Most important, this incident should not be allowed to hamper the morale of either the security forces or the locals.

Brij Bhushan Goyal, Ludhiana

Sir — The attack on a bus ferrying pilgrims in Reasi was carried out during the swearing-in ceremony of the Narendra Modi-led government. This highlights the need to prioritise national security. It is imperative that the response to such tragedies transcends political affiliations. This is a moment for all parties to unite and reaffirm their commitment to combating terrorism.

S.S. Paul, Nadia

Sir — The unfortunate terror attack in Reasi underscores the revival of terrorist activity in the region. The Lashkar-e-Taiba, which was behind this attack, has been involved in other such terrorist activities since the abrogation of Article 370 took away the special status of Jammu and Kashmir. While the government and security agencies are doing their best to bring peace to the region, there are many obstacles to finding long-term stability.

Gregory Fernandes, Mumbai

Sir — The terrorist attack on a bus carrying pilgrims is reprehensible. It should serve as a warning to India’s security establishment to not be complacent since terrorism has not been rooted out from Jammu and Kashmir. There is an urgent need to send a strong message to terrorists that any threat to our security and national integrity will be met with a firm response even if it originates from across the border. The Reasi incident will add to India’s determination to stamp out terror outfits in the region.

Ramesh G. Jethwani, Bengaluru

Sir — Just as an image proclaiming ‘All eyes on Rafah’ was trending on social media after Israel began its onslaught on Rafah, another image that says ‘All eyes on Reasi’ has now gone viral. The real question is this: when will such mindless killing in the name of religion stop? People in Jammu and Kashmir should not have to live in fear even so many years after Independence.

Arundhati Das, Calcutta

Sir — The terrorist attack on a bus carrying pilgrims is shocking. Since it was known that the pilgrims would be crossing an area that is prone to terror attacks, their security should have been ensured. Miscreants do not respect any religion. Their only aim is to spread terror. Lack of information on the part of the intelligence and security agencies is also to be held responsible for the loss of lives in this attack.

Pratima Manimala, Howrah

New norms

Sir — Devi Kar’s article, “Education, then and now” (June 11), made an interesting comparison between school education in the past and the present. Not only is corporal punishment banned in schools now but there are also instances of teachers getting punished for beating children. Kar mentions in her article that caning was a popular punishment in schools in the olden days. Other punitive actions included standing on the bench while holding both ears or kneeling down.

Sanjit Ghatak, Calcutta

Sir — There is nothing novel in what Devi Kar writes in her column. However, her conclusion, “All [children] need is appropriate guidance and wise counsel. Let us focus on the quality of education instead of being ‘examination warriors’”, is absolutely valid.

K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam

Sir — Students these days are forced to chase high marks in examinations, hoping for a chance to study in renowned colleges or universities. However, in order to do this, they engage in rote learning, which is aided by notes provided by coaching centres. Devi Kar makes some pertinent observations regarding this in her column. But it must also be admitted that the education provided in many schools is not sufficient, forcing students to depend on tuitions. Students should understand that chasing marks will not help them excel. They have to learn outside the syllabus to succeed in life.

Sayan Talukdar, North 24 Parganas

Unique call

Sir — It was fascinating to learn that wild elephants in Kenya address one another with specific name-like calls, a phenomenon hitherto known to occur only among
a few species, including humans (“In a trumpet, perhaps a name call”, June 11). This study has, once again, proved how intelligent elephants are.

Sourish Misra, Calcutta