Accept ageing
Sir — The tantalising secret to reverse the process of ageing has only been found in fiction so far. From Count Dracula’s bloody drinks to the curious case of Benjamin Button, fiction mostly frowns upon this Sisyphean task of defying nature to remain forever young. However, recent research at Harvard University claims to have devised a ‘cocktail of drugs’ that can reverse ageing by several years by reprogramming the cells in the body. This may be manna from heaven, but only for those with ailments like progeria. No miracle cure can fix the insecurities that people have about the natural process of ageing and its reflection on the body. Those who try reverse-ageing would do well to remember that there is no stopping the cruel march of time.
Anjali Saha,Calcutta
Strength in unity
Sir — Leaders from 26 Opposition parties met in Bengaluru with the objective of pooling their electoral strength against the Bharatiya Janata Party (“A Kashmir-to-Kanyakumari cast”, July 18). This united front may also counter the BJP’s ploys of exploiting fissures within regional parties to break them and using investigative agencies to scare them.
The Opposition parties should come up with a common minimum programme that can strike a chord with both regional and national voters. The electorate’s disenchantment with Hindutva should be taken advantage of by highlighting the importance of secularism. In every state, regional parties that can pose the greatest threat to the BJP should be allowed to contest the maximum number of seats. The leaders of the united Opposition should make efforts to gain more support as well.
G. David Milton,Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Sir — The primary objective of the Opposition meet in Bengaluru was to consolidate anti-BJP votes in the upcoming general elections. However, this is easier said than done. Several regional parties, such as the Trinamul Congress, the Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Samajwadi Party, might not want to cede votes to the Congress.
The Opposition should not present any one leader as the prime ministerial candidate yet. It should instead address issues such as inflation and the rising prices of food items. Matters of national security — Chinese incursions and unbridled violence in Manipur — deserve attention too.
S.K. Choudhury,Bengaluru
Sir — The second meeting of Opposition parties at Bengaluru seemed to be more productive than the first one at Patna. Improved communication among the parties is evident with the Congress opposing the Central ordinance on Delhi’s affairs. This move brought the Aam Aadmi Party on board with the Opposition. However, several such acts of accommodation will have to be made to keep the allies together. Additionally, a common minimum programme would help the parties remain clear about poll strategies.
D.V.G. Sankara Rao,Andhra Pradesh
Sir — The statements made by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, against the Opposition parties are revealing. Modi and his party are clearly spooked not only at the success of the Congress’ Bharat Jodo Yatra but also at the gains made by the Opposition parties when it comes to putting up a united front. The Opposition parties should not lose steam now or fall prey to the BJP’s divisive tactics.
Shreya Basu,New Delhi
Two faces
Sir — Two articles in The Telegraph yesterday, “Unreported bullying that persons with special needs face” and “One message binds two events: Calcutta still cares for others” (July 18), elicit starkly different sentiments. It is upsetting that three men bullied and hit a person with autism. But one also feels overwhelmed to read about Calcuttans gathering to show solidarity with the people of Manipur. Is Calcutta, then, still a city that is humane or has it succumbed to the violence characteristic of New India?
Nitasha Guha,Calcutta
Intelligent initiative
Sir — The Union education minister, Dharmendra Pradhan, launched a free online training programme on Artificial Intelligence. Al for India 2.0 has been made available in nine Indian languages and will help people sharpen their technological skills without facing a language barrier. This is a laudable initiative that can help harness the potential of India’s working-age population.
Tauqueer Rahmani,Chennai
New attraction
Sir — The chief minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, inaugurated the Kalaignar Centenary Library in Madurai in memory of his father, the former chief minister, M. Karunanidhi. This will greatly benefit students, researchers and the general public. Madurai can now draw tourists for more than the Meenakshi Amman temple.
Ranganathan Sivakumar,Chennai
Out of tune
Sir — The Kerala Secretariat is all set to install music systems in the workplace to reduce the stress of the civil servants. However, as the adage goes, one man’s meat is another man’s poison. It is debatable whether the same kind of music will help all employees to be more productive. Such a uniform provision is thus unwise.
K.A. Solaman,Alappuzha, Kerala
Waste not
Sir — A recently published study in The Lancet Global Health reiterated the potential of studying wastewater for public health surveillance. This strategy played a key role in India’s victory over the poliovirus and the coronavirus. Such an exercise should be conducted regularly and not just when the country is combating a deadly epidemic.
Himel Ghosh,Calcutta
