Wise choice
Sir — If you can’t beat them, join them, or so goes the saying. According to reports, a woman has done just this by turning the tables on patriarchy and rejecting a suitor whose income did not meet her expectation of Rs 25 lakh per annum. While many were quick to label the woman a gold-digger, one must wonder whether such demands
are imprudent. If men can demand wives who are ready to sacrifice their lives to tend to the hearth and home, why should women not make wise financial choices for themselves in a world where inflation has raised the cost of living exponentially?
Shalini Daw, Calcutta
Meek stance
Sir — The prime minister, Narendra Modi, had a chance to make a statement against China’s occupation of our borderlands during an interview with the American journal, Newsweek. But he merely appealed to China to maintain tranquillity at the border. Modi also added that India and China “need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders”. Yet, the Modi government has claimed that India has not lost territory to China. The dispensation at the Centre often boasts about its military prowess but has failed to counter China’s territorial aggression. This
is disappointing.
Tharcius S. Fernando, Chennai
Saffron tilt
Sir — In his article, “Fertile territory” (April 13), Sunanda K. Datta-Ray has pointed out that certain markers have come to be identified with some religious communities.
But all those markers — bikers without helmets, religious places taking over the streets, men who sport beards — are as applicable to Hindus as they are to Muslims. The Constitution grants equal rights to all citizens and diversity must thus be respected.
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
Sir— Although the middle class has been treated shabbily by the Bharatiya Janata Party, it continues to support the party. This class is easily seduced by the
promise of a return to a glorious past. Sooner or later it will see through
this rhetoric and realise that none of this can help earn a living.
Anthony Henriques, Mumbai
Right guidance
Sir — The article, “In firm control” (April 12), by Anup Sinha superbly articulated how we have become puppets in the hands of big tech firms. However, teachers can still bring about positive change by guiding students properly and encouraging them to think and ask questions.
Suchandra Guha, Calcutta
Security hub
Sir — The Centre’s expansive policy to convert the Andaman and Nicobar Islands into a security bastion will be pivotal for peace and trade. Infrastructural reforms will not only upgrade the islands into maritime powerhouses but also send a message to neighbouring countries to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region. These islands can become a hub for conducting disaster relief programmes, distributing medical aid, and conducting search and rescue operations and undertaking other maritime endeavours.
Arka Goswami, Durgapur
New life
Sir — Two pairs of Himalayan gorals bred in captivity in Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park were released into the Singalila National Park recently (“Bred in zoo, 4 gorals released into the wild”, April 10) by the West Bengal forest department. This is a laudable initiative as the population of gorals has sharply declined due to poaching.
Sourish Misra, Calcutta