Unequal share
Sir — Harder than starting one’s own business from scratch is to date someone who is doing the same. The girlfriend of the founder of a start-up recently shared that as her partner goes through a gruelling process of seeking funding and connections, she needs to feed him, clean his clothes, and even cut his hair. While people have praised her dedication, is this not what women have always been doing? Wives have traditionally supported their husbands’ ambitions at the cost of their own careers. This raises an important question: there might be a woman behind every successful man, but who has the woman’s back?
Pragya Biswas, Calcutta
Public demand
Sir — The public demand for instantaneous justice after the rape and murder of a doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital stems from the fact that the incident has shaken the foundation of a society based on the rule of law (“Too quick”, Aug 27). Moreover, the credibility of the investigative agencies is questionable. Although the chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, advocated for fast-track courts and her nephew, Abhishek Banerjee, demanded that the trial and conviction must be wrapped up in seven days, their intentions are not sincere.
The Union minister of women and child development, Annpurna Devi, has revealed that West Bengal is yet to open 11 of the 17 fast-track special courts sanctioned under a Central scheme. The state’s attempt to please the public should not hinder a transparent investigation of the case.
Jahar Saha, Calcutta
Sir — The judiciary is expected to deliver well-reasoned, evidence-based and comprehensive judgments. But delayed and, at times, politically-motivated verdicts have led to a growing lack of confidence in the judicial system. There have been multiple instances where justice has been delayed owing to administrative and judicial tardiness as well as corruption and external influences.
People are worried that the R.G. Kar incident will similarly be buried under scores of pending cases or be scotched by administrative interference. The demand for instantaneous justice can only be quelled by making the judiciary and the police free from corruption.
Bhaskar Sanyal, Hooghly
Sir — Data from the National Crime Records Bureau show that nearly 80% of rape cases that have reached courts are still pending trial. The overburdened judiciary in India is to be blamed for the demand for quick justice for the doctor who was raped and murdered in Calcutta. While culprits deserve punishment, this should happen after a proper trial. The police and the judiciary need time to identify the culprits and deliver justice.
B.C. Govind, Kanpur
Sir — The editorial, “Too quick”, takes stock of knee-jerk and emotional public outbursts after a crime. Even though stringent laws exist to prevent crimes against women, governments often play blame games every time such a crime is committed. The law must take its own course and people should refrain from resorting to mob justice.
K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam
Hateful remarks
Sir — The remarks made by the Padma Shri award-winning Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament, Kangana Ranaut, regarding the farmers’ protest are condemnable. Ranaut has indirectly called the farmers, many of whom died during the 378-day-long protest against contentious farm laws, rapists and foreign agents. Her statements prove the BJP’s anti-farmer stance. Ranaut has drawn parallels between the farmers’ protests and the unrest in Bangladesh. The BJP has distanced itself from her comments. This is not enough. Politicians should not be allowed to get away with divisive comments.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
Sir — The actress and MP, Kangana Ranaut, has alleged that rapes and murders were committed during farmers’ protests. Her comments are irresponsible and make light of women’s safety. At a time when the nation has united to decry the heinous crime against a doctor in Calcutta, she should take her role as an elected representative more seriously. While the BJP’s top leadership has already rebuked Ranaut and distanced the party from her comments, the damage done by her is irreversible.
Prominent BJP leaders like Smriti Irani and Ranaut have a habit of sparking controversy by pinning the blame for all things going wrong in India on foreign countries to hide their party’s failures.
Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta
Sir — It seems unlikely that Kangana Ranaut will become cautious about her statements even after being reprimanded by the BJP top brass. This is not the first time that she has peddled false narratives — Ranaut had previously said that the women participating in farmers’ protests could be “bought”. She has also tried to twist history by stating that India had gained true independence in 2014. Such falsehoods were rarely called out by the BJP. Ranaut will thus continue to make factually inaccurate claims.
Saheli Singh, Siliguri