Division on a dish
Sir — Divisive sentiments creeping into Indians’ culinary habits is not novel in New India. A recent decision by Zomato has injected fresh momentum into the ‘vegetarian versus non-vegetarian’ debate. The food delivery company had rolled out a feature called ‘Pure Veg’ mode that would include delivery partners wearing green uniforms while delivering orders of vegetarian food. Although Zomato has since scrapped the uniform, the colour-coding and the segregation of its fleet to ensure the ‘purity’ of food highlight how casteism remains deeply ingrained in our society and influences even the most mundane choices.
Kanishka Maity, Calcutta
Hate crime
Sir — In an appalling incident, some international students were attacked by a violent mob while offering namaz in Gujarat University. It is obvious that the mob was emboldened by the government’s shameful inertia in acting against similar incidents in the past — a sub-inspector was caught kicking men offering namaz on a road in Delhi and hateful campaigns targeting Muslims have been circulating on social media. For decades, road traffic has been regulated to make space for Muslims to offer namaz on the streets during Ramazan, with most non-Muslims respecting this norm.
However, such a secular and unified image of India has since given way to a deeply polarised society with Hindutva zealots perpetuating hatred against minorities. The government should be proactive in arresting this dangerous trend or else New Delhi’s arrogant objection to the West calling out rising religious intolerance in India will not hold water.
Julius Machado, Mumbai
Sir — Far from condemning the barbaric assault on foreign students offering namaz in the Gujarat University campus, the vice-chancellor, Neerja Gupta, has suggested that overseas students should be ‘sensitised’ to the culture of the host country (“Toxic trait”, Mar 20). This is disconcerting. Are Muslims not part of India? Has India become a place only for Hindus? India’s gradual descent into a Hindu rashtra has led to the ghettoisation of Muslims. The editorial rightly argued that this rise of Islamophobia has coincided with the political ascendency of the Bharatiya Janata Party.
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
Sir — The recent attack on some foreign Muslim students by a Hindutva mob inside Gujarat University should shake India’s conscience. The incident must be condemned in unequivocal terms. Attacks on Muslims, who make up about 14% of the population, have become routine ever since the saffron party came to power in 2014. Those perpetrating hatred against minorities are, in some instances, rewarded by the ruling dispensation. This raises concern about the future of India’s secular ethos.
Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai
Election worries
Sir — With less than a month left for the Lok Sabha elections, the uncertainties about electronic voting machines must be addressed. Notably, in a recent election rally in Mumbai, the Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, suggested that the fate of Narendra Modi’s return to power hinges on the functionality of EVMs. Other Opposition leaders too have voiced similar concerns.
It is imperative for the INDIA coalition to continue to question the government on the manipulation of EVMs. Further, the Election Commission of India should consider replacing EVMs with ballot papers to ensure the integrity of the electoral process and safeguard democracy.
Anees Rahman, Malappuram, Kerala
Sir — It is disconcerting that political advertisements, including festoons, posters, banners, placards, wall writings, and hoardings, remain displayed in public spaces long after the election is over. Furthermore, nailing or stapling political advertisements on trees leads to serious environmental damage. The ECI should issue an order barring political parties from defacing trees in any manner.
Sourish Misra, Calcutta
Red alert
Sir — The World Meteorological Organization has confirmed 2023 to be the hottest year on record. Last year, the average global temperature was 1.45 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial levels, which is closest to the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold established during the Paris Agreement.
The global preparedness to combat the climate crisis has not been adequate. All countries must accelerate their transition to renewable energy to arrest this negative momentum.
Kamal Laddha, Bengaluru
Novel formula
Sir — It is heartening that the French mathematician, Michel Talagrand, has been awarded the Abel Prize, the equivalent of the Nobel Prize for Mathematics. His contribution to probability theory helped in understanding random phenomena, such as the weight of babies at birth and the ups and downs of the stock market, by converting these events into geometric problems.
Shovanlal Chakraborty, Calcutta
