Coping mechanism

Sir — Be it starting a new job, deciding when to get married or even getting married to a tree, many Indians take the most crucial decisions of their lives based on astrology. So much so that astrology is a booming business in India with a market share of Rs 1,000 crore. Start-ups that claim to have integrated age-old astrological wisdom into modern-day computers are making brisk business alongside saffron-clad charlatans. But why are Indians so dependent on astrology? It is a well-documented fact that astrology becomes more popular during periods of mass crises as a coping mechanism. India’s case is no different.

Aparna Aastha, Calcutta

Important ally

Sir —The short India visit of the Japanese prime minister, Fumio Kishida, will be an important diplomatic milestone. Japan has assumed the presidency of the G7 this year and India is leading the G20. Collaboration between the two groupings is key to ensuring a sustainable future.

The timing of Kishida’s visit also assumed significance in light of the upcoming Moscow visit by the Chinese president, Xi Jinping. India-Japan ties have a long history of stability. Both countries have tried to free underdeveloped countries from China’s debt trap. India and Japan are key to keep Chinese and Russian aggression in check in the East.

Kirti Wadhawan, Kanpur

Sir — One of the objectives of both Japan and India is to counter China’s growing influence and assertiveness across the Indo-Pacific and to give poorer countries more options in the field of development and security. The Indo-Pacific plan is expected to figure in Fumio Kishida’s talks with the Indian prime minister, Narendra Modi, during which the former will seek India’s cooperation in implementing it to uphold freedom of navigation and a rules-based order in the region.

A.K. Sen, Calcutta

Slip of tongue

Sir — Rahul Gandhi has done it again. This time he is being ridiculed for being corrected by the Congress veteran, Jairam Ramesh, on camera. At a press conference, Rahul Gandhi at first said, “Unfortunately, I am a member of Parliament...” He was saying that he would give his reaction to the furore over the comments he made abroad in the Lok Sabha first. Ramesh corrected him publicly ask him to frame his sentence differently. Rahul Gandhi then changed his statement to “Unfortunately, for you, I am a member of Parliament.”

While Ramesh should not have corrected Rahul Gandhi in front of the cameras and microphones, one must also consider what prompted the former’s action. Ramesh can be clearly heard saying that Rahul Gandhi’s previous statement can be twisted out of context or made into a meme. It is shameful that political leaders cannot speak their minds for fear of being made fun of.

In this context, it is also important to remember that English is not even the third language of many politicians in India. How would they know the nuances of the language well enough to avoid such faux pas?

C.K.R. Nathan, Mumbai

Share the load

Sir — A year and a half after the Prime Minister Mega Integrated Textile Regions and Apparel scheme was announced, the Centre has selected sites in Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh to set up new textile parks. The parks are expected to attract investments worth Rs 70,000 crore and generate jobs for 20 lakh people.

The expenses for these will be shared between the Centre and the states. One hopes there are no disagreements and political games regarding these parks. These will generate huge amounts of employment for the states and they should cooperate.

C.K. Subramaniam, Navi Mumbai

Third front

Sir — It is heartening that the Trinamul Congress leader and chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, has taken the first step to form a third front to take on the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 general elections. The Samajwadi Party chief, Akhilesh Yadav, has joined her. This is not surprising; both parties have kept their distance from the Congress. Now it is up to the leaders of the Aam Aadmi Party, the Bharat Rashtra Samithi and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam to decide if they want to participate in this pre-poll alliance. Opposition unity is still a distant dream at present.

N. Mahadevan, Chennai

Painful reality

Sir — Much has been written about whether or not women are entitled to menstrual leave. What most of these debates fail to highlight are the other gynaecological issues that ail women. Endometriosis, dysmenorrhoea and polycystic ovaries syndrome are just some of the diseases that women have to contend with. These can be as painful and debilitating as any other disease. Could it thus be argued that women should be entitled to more sick leaves than men so that they can choose to avail of them, staggered throughout the year, as and when they need them?

Yashodhara Sen, Calcutta