Furry problem
Sir — Dogs do not differentiate between humans when it comes to showering their love. But humans can be picky when it comes to choosing furry friends. The Union government has decided to ban the import, breeding and sale of certain breeds of dogs, branding them ‘ferocious’. The reason for this is that usually mild-mannered dogs like Akitas have attacked and killed people. Exotic breeds are often ill-equipped to withstand the Indian climate and thus remain ill and moody. People should adopt Indian breeds that are suited to this tropical climate. This will also address the problem of strays.
Kinkini Sinha, Calcutta
Biased choice
Sir — The Congress leader, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, has rightly expressed dissent over the appointment of the two new election commissioners (“Two ECs appointed, Adhir raises dissent”, Mar 15). He has said that the ruling dispensation ignored the Opposition’s opinion in the appointment procedure. Both the newly-appointed election commissioners have been part of several home ministry projects such as the abrogation of Article 370 and one of them also established the Ram Temple Trust. The Centre’s move is thus seen as rewarding its loyalists.
Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta
Sir — The Union government’s appointment of former civil servants, Gyanesh Kumar and Sukhbir Singh Sandhu, as election commissioners has earned criticism from the Congress. The appointment process was skewed in the Bharatiya Janata Party’s favour as the selection committee comprised two BJP leaders and only one Congress leader. The government had earlier passed a legislation to eliminate the Chief Justice of India from the committee. It is unlikely that the current election commissioners will be unbiased.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
Spot the hypocrisy
Sir — The Bharatiya Janata Party government recently reduced the price of domestic LPG cylinders by 100 rupees and that of fossil fuels by two rupees per litre (“Petrol, diesel prices cut by Rs 2”, Mar 15). With the general elections around the corner, such price cuts are not surprising. The BJP is critical when Opposition parties offer freebies, but it uses the same tactic under the garb of welfarism.
S. Kamat, Mysuru
Broken system
Sir — Anup Sinha’s article, “Hour of apathy” (Mar 15), offers insights into the replacement of liberal and secular democratic governments with authoritarian and theocratic regimes in India and elsewhere. The failure of liberal democracy in India has resulted in a wide socio-economic gap between the rich and the poor. Capitalists have benefitted from this. The government panders to them by framing favourable
policies. The success of a democracy depends on people’s awareness.
Yousuf Iqbal, Calcutta
Chaotic state
Sir — While the Assam government is constructing flyovers in Guwahati and other cities, it continues to ignore the persistent problem of heavy traffic on these flyovers. The newly-installed traffic signals are faltering and the police lack adequate training to handle the situation. Guwahati, a so-called ‘smart city’, is suffering owing to the state government’s ineptitude.
A.K. Chakraborty, Guwahati
Novel tribute
Sir — The Belgian football team’s new kit — a tribute to Tintin, the iconic character created by Hergé — is heartening. There will undoubtedly be a huge demand for the Tintin-inspired kits worldwide, especially among comics fans.
Sourish Misra, Calcutta