Clash of the titans

Sir — Human beings — especially men — have always engaged in violent clashes to display their superiority. Emperors in ancient Rome would force their slaves to fight in the gladiatorial arena, and wealthy ‘gentlemen’ in England used to duel each other. It seems fitting that such macho tendencies now find expression in televised martial arts bouts — like the one Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg wish to engage in. While it would be interesting to witness tech billionaires duking it out if the match does happen, one wonders why such medieval attempts to establish one’s superiority are making a comeback.

Alok Ghosh Dastidar,Calcutta

New poll plank

Sir — The prime minister, Narendra Modi, seems to be publicly pitching for a uniform civil code, which has been at the centre of the saffron ideology for many years now (“Threat to Opposition, thrust on UCC: Why is Modi so testy?”, June 28). It remains to be seen if the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government can implement the UCC before the 2024 general elections. But, if passed into law, the UCC will certainly be another achievement that India’s right-wing will boast about after the abrogation of Article 370 and the granting of legal validity to the Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Arguments both for and against the UCC have been voiced. But it needs to be asked why the BJP has prioritised the UCC over basic needs like reducing economic inequality in society or the development of industries.

S.K. Choudhury,Bengaluru

Sir — The prime minister seems to have blown the 2024 poll bugle with his speech in Bhopal, advocating the implementation of the UCC. Having exhausted the electoral dividends that the Ram temple had to offer, the BJP has shifted to another polarising issue to use as a poll plank for the upcoming elections. The fact that Narendra Modi has been in office for two consecutive terms and the promised ‘acche din’ continues to elude people may weigh against him this time. Attacks against the Opposition have been on the familiar grounds of graft, but the Centre is yet to offer any concrete evidence of this large-scale corruption.

G. David Milton,Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu

Sir — The UCC is simply political claptrap. India is made up of numerous cultural, religious and ethnic diversities and, yet, the framers of the Constitution found space for them all. Protection of the rights and practices of all minorities and measures to ensure their uplift are vital parts of democracy. The concept of ‘one nation, one law’ will prove ruinous for India’s multicultural ethos.

M.T. Farooqi,Hyderabad

Failed revolt

Sir — Short-lived though it was, the mutiny led by Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner private military group, laid bare the weakened position of Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin (“Standoff ends but Putin’s halo dims”, June 26). Before the war against Ukraine began in February 2022, Putin seemed to be an invincible leader presiding over a military behemoth. More than a year later, with negligible territorial gains in Ukraine, his domestic influence seems to be waning. Putin needs to bring the invasion to an end and put his house in order first.

Tauqeer Rahmani,Chennai

Sir — The insurrection that started in Russia recently seems to have calmed down but the storm is far from over (“Giant turmoil”, June 27). Vladimir Putin’s image as an unchallenged strongman has been severely dented, both at home and abroad. The fact that Putin is angry and distressed is evident from the divergent orders that he issued against Yevgeny Prigozhin and the soldiers of the Wagner group — they were initially denounced as traitors, but have now been told that all charges against them have been dropped. Prigozhin should not think that he is safe; his decision to halt the rebellion may prove costly.

Jang Bahadur Singh,Jamshedpur

Sir — It was disturbing to read about an internal mutiny in a country engaged in a destructive war. Russia has not been able to make any meaningful gains in Ukraine and this rebellion has further harmed the chances of a quick end to the war. It will prevent the resumption of normalised economic activities in the two countries. Both Russia and Ukraine should engage in dialogue and negotiate to bring about a peaceful resolution to the war.

Kirti Wadhawan,Kanpur

Booming business

Sir — The proposal made by the manufacturing company, Micron Technology, to set up a 2.75 billion-dollar semiconductor facility in Gujarat marks a significant milestone for India’s technology industry. India can position itself as a global hub for semiconductor manufacturing and innovation only through a long-term vision and strategic investment, thus reducing dependence on China.

Bishal Kumar Saha,Murshidabad

Parting shot

Sir — It beggars belief that the pomfret is apparently being offered as an alternative to the hilsa in fish markets. There simply is no match for the ilish.

Sudeshna Biswas,Calcutta