Omicron ready?
The rapid spread of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 and the doubling of cases within a very short period, along with the fact that not much is known about it, takes the world back almost to square one (Page 1, “Omicron in 89 countries, cases doubling in 1.5 to 3 days: WHO, December 19). As the efficacy of existing vaccines is also not known, appropriate behaviour should be strictly enforced. Given the experience of the first and the second waves, the country has to be alert. Vaccination should be speeded up as it is the best known defence available.
Kosaraju Chandramouli,
Hyderabad
Meet with the PMO
The Prime Minister’s Office has been remiss or even naive in appearing to summon the Election Commissioners to its meeting on a common electoral roll. The subsequent clarification (Inside pages, “CEC not called for meet with PMO: Law Ministry”, December 19) may not help erase the poor aftertaste of its first communication. The observation of the Supreme Court of India, in 2013, on the status of independent investigative agencies — under the earlier political dispensation — as akin to that of a “caged parrot”, is proving to be as valid today. Only the cage looks to have been upgraded to an aviary, inviting newer constitutional bodies to its fold. The episode is all the more reason that the constitutional independence of the judiciary is kept sacrosanct so as to stand as the lone bulwark against governance per se , sliding into indiscretions.
R. Narayanan,
Navi Mumbai
The Opposition’s track
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is focusing far too much attention on the BJP. All his condemnations of the ruling party, especially the Prime Minister, are unlikely to make the party and its leaders change their style, let alone pay any heed to him. The ruling party is bound to make use of his words to finetune its outreach to the people. It is pretty evident by now that no amount of censure in Parliament or outside can affect the ruling party unless it perceives its standing among the people is under threat. So it would be better if the Opposition gets over its obsession with the Government and turns its attention to the issues that have an immediate bearing on people’s lives.
Preetha Salil,
Mumbai
On the ‘Open Page’
Some wonderful headlines laced with puns have been absolute rib-ticklers (‘Open Page’, December 19). Consider these: “Big rig carrying fruits crashes on 210 Freeway, creates jam” (the Los Angeles Times ); “Obama-Lama Ding Dong’’ (in a Scottish tabloid when Barack Obama met the Dalai Lama). I recall a catchy headline in The Hindu when Pandit Ravi Shankar passed away in December 2012: “The sitar loses its strings”.
R. Sivakumar,
Chennai
The article, “Goodness by the ladle” (‘Open Page’ December 19), reminded me of my tour with office colleagues to north India years ago. We jocularly called it a “curd bath trip”. The cooks who accompanied us were culinary experts, but the curd bath outclassed all the other dishes. The funny part was that the members who were slow in eating missed having it as many went for the curd bath first.
D. Sethuraman,
Chennai
Safety for elephants
It is depressing to read reports about elephant deaths in train accidents. According to the Railways, certain stretches have Permanent Speed Restrictions, which do not seem to be working. Why does not the Railways revisit the PSRs near reserved forests? These should also be set according to the season.
Vairamuthu G.,
Chennai
