Caged by love
Sir — Birds and animals can be ruthless when the time comes for their young to leave the nest, pushing the latter out into the world to fend for themselves. Human parents, though, are far more patient — at times to the detriment of their wards. Overdependence on parents often makes it difficult for young adults to take flight. For instance, a recent survey found that nearly 20% of new interviewees in 2023 took their parents with them for interviews. Most of these candidates belonged to Gen Z. While the pandemic might be partly blamed for youngsters not knowing how to deal with a formal interview, one cannot overlook the fault of the parents who turned up with their wards. Instead of being mollycoddled, children must be taught to stand up for themselves.
Saheli Sinha, Calcutta
Poor taste
Sir — Ranjit, a young waiter in Hyderabad, was one of the 1.5 lakh youths whose selection to the army got cancelled after the Narendra Modi-led government unexpectedly introduced the Agnipath scheme (“Cong retort to Modi’s manifesto remark”, April 8). Ranjit’s story came to light after Colonel Rohit Chaudhry, the chairman of the Congress’s ex-servicemen department, tweeted about him. While the Congress manifesto promises to take up the cause of the unemployed youth and scrap the Agnipath scheme, Modi has alleged that it bears a “Muslim League imprint” to stir up communal controversies. This is deplorable. Pandering to Hindutva
sentiments will not be enough for the Bharatiya Janata Party to win another stint at the Centre.
Jahar Saha, Calcutta
Shallow grasp
Sir — Ruchir Joshi’s article, “Out of depth” (April 9), has rightly pointed towards the increasing influence of India’s “anti-knowledge” brigade. The members of this
brigade are indoctrinated by right-wing ideology — some link the disappearance of Subhas Chandra Bose to the Congress, others hold M.K. Gandhi responsible for the Partition and champion his assassin, Nathuram Godse. It is tragic that while many
of these people are educated, they have no real knowledge of history.
Niamul Hossain Mallick, East Burdwan
Aim high
Sir — The goal of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, to make the Indian currency achieve global acceptance is untenable (“Too high”, April 8). The rupee is not yet on a par with the American dollar. There is, however, no harm in aiming high. One hopes that Modi fulfils his target in the next 10 years.
K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam
Rich pickings
Sir — Three alleged associates of Nainar Nagendran, the Bharatiya Janata Party candidate from Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu, were caught carrying four crore without valid documentation. The office of the state’s chief electoral officer said that a detailed investigation into the matter will be launched. The money is suspected to be meant for distribution among voters. The Election Commission of India needs to inquire into this claim. One hopes that the ECI’s report will be unbiased.
Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai
Wrong price
Sir — Amidst a Central ban on onion exports, Indian farmers and traders are upset that some shipments were cleared for international markets such as the United Arab Emirates but at a low selling price. Global prices of onion have soared and led to massive profits internationally. The government has imposed an indefinite ban on onion export to avoid a shortage in domestic markets.
Typically, local exporters are expected to bid at the lowest price they can offer and buyers are picked based on the highest price offered. This, however, is not the case in this situation as the deals are happening through ‘diplomatic channels’. This is unfair for the farmers.
C.K. Ramani, Mumbai
Mental burden
Sir — The editorial, “Other ways” (April 8), makes a valid point. While report cards are necessary to assess academic progress, they should not affect students’ mental well-being. The rising number of student suicides calls for a change in the evaluation system. Teachers need to interact individually with students.
Sanjit Ghatak, Calcutta
Green abode
Sir — The editorial, “Garden of thought” (April 7), focused on our need to be surrounded by plants for emotional well-being. In this context, the flower garden at Lolegaon Nature Resort managed by the West Bengal Forest Development Corporation in Kalimpong district is truly an abode of peace. The garden provides a space for people to enjoy the bounties of nature.
Sanjit Kumar Saha, Kalimpong
Against lies
Sir — In “Let truth triumph” (April 9), Devi Kar states that “[t]he craft of telling lies must never be rewarded — not even in jest”, but it is important to distinguish between two types of lies. Children must be taught to not deceive or cheat people. However, the willing suspension of disbelief needed for art or a piece of fiction is important.
Alok Mohan, Dubai
Anxious minds
Sir — Extreme climate events such as droughts, wildfires and floods have become more common these days. A sizeable section of young people thus exhibit symptoms of ‘eco-anxiety’ — a feeling of anger and helplessness about climate change. We must adopt eco-friendly habits and make the world a safer place for them.
Arka Goswami, Durgapur