Useless bauble
Sir — The adage, ‘the bigger, the better’, is usually most applicable when it comes to the wealthy — the rich live in bigger houses and drive bigger, faster cars. But 21st-century fashion choices seem to have rendered this saying moot. A perfect example is the microscopic handbag, which was recently auctioned off by the Brooklyn-based art collective, MSCHF, for more than $60,000. Since this fashion accessory won’t fit one’s phone or make-up kit, one should take its popularity with a grain of salt, which, incidentally, would be larger than the bag. The exclusivity of the bag outweighs its usefulness.
Sreyoshi Saha,Nadia
Stay neutral
Sir — It is astounding that at the time when the prime minister was proclaiming to the world that Muslims do not face discrimination in India, a troop of soldiers allegedly barged into two mosques in Pulwama and forced worshippers to chant “Jai Shri Ram” (“Mosque finger at soldiers”, June 26). This is a clear example of the brazen intimidation that the government at the Centre tacitly supports. Although senior army officers reportedly apologised to the villagers later, such attacks on India’s religious freedoms should be unequivocally denounced.
A.K. Chakraborty,Guwahati
Sir — The allegations that Indian army personnel forced Muslim worshippers to chant “Jai Shri Ram” at mosques in south Kashmir are serious. It reminds us of the rumours floated during the 2021 assembly polls in West Bengal about some paramilitary forces unduly influencing voters in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Unlike in Pakistan, where the government is a puppet in the hands of the army, the armed forces in India have a long-standing reputation of neutrality. This should remain intact.
Khokan Das,Calcutta
Muzzling dissent
Sir — The attack on Chandrashekhar Azad, the chief of the Dalit rights organisation, Bhim Army, in Saharanpur exposes the breakdown in the law and order situation in Uttar Pradesh under the chief minister, Yogi Adityanath (“Bhim Army chief shot at in UP”, June 29). The attempt to silence a voice that speaks for the rights of oppressed castes should be condemned.
Muzakkir Khan,Mumbai
Deep divisions
Sir — It was distressing to read about the entrenched patterns of prejudice that have been revealed by a recent study about residential segregation on the basis of religion and caste across India (“In clusters”, June 29). Successive governments have only engaged in taking potshots at their predecessors instead of working to ensure equitable access to clean water, education and inexpensive healthcare.
Srija Maji,Calcutta
Free rein
Sir — The Calcutta High Court’s judgment quashing the public interest litigation against the appointmentof interim vice-chancellors by the West Bengal governor, C.V. Ananda Bose, sets adangerous precedent(“PIL against appointment of interim VCs rejected”, June 29). Granting unfettered power to the governor to make appointments in universities may harm India’s federal ethos.
Arun Gupta,Calcutta
Unsafe pitch
Sir — It is not surprising that the Pakistan Cricket Board has expressed reluctance to allow its national men’s team to play in Ahmedabad in the upcoming World Cup. The board cannot be blamed for having reservations about its players’ security, given the political hostility against Pakistan in Gujarat.
Amarjeet Kumar,Hazaribag, Jharkhand
