In the war zone
The reports, “Indian ‘helper’ dies in Russian war zone (Page 1, February 25) and “About 100 Indians recruited as Russian Army helpers: official” (Inside pages, February 22), underscore two things. The first is the unemployment problem in India, which compels people to seek jobs even at great risk to their lives. The second is India’s stand on the Russia-Ukraine war. India ought to ensure that there is no Indian involvement in acts of aggression that involve the territories of other nations.
D. Sethuraman,
Chennai
It is inconceivable that India’s Ministry of External Affairs did not know about this, or did not try to stop the men from travelling to a war zone. The incident only turns the spotlight on the pathetic condition of the unemployed Indian youth, who is willing to risk his life in search of any job abroad.
P. Victor Selvaraj,
Palayamkottai, Tamil Nadu
From despair to alliance
It is a welcome development that the Opposition INDIA bloc is finally moving to tie up the loose ends (“Bitter rivals Congress, AAP seal alliance deal”, February 25). In facing the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party government, a give and take approach among the Opposition parties is the need. A strong democracy needs a strong Opposition.
Kshirasagara Balaji Rao,
Hyderabad
The Congress-led INDIA alliance, plagued by internal struggles and waning public support, seems to be turning the corner. After facing defections and failing to gain traction, that there is some strategy by building alliances with regional powerhouses offers us a glimmer of hope. But what the electoral impact could be remains unclear.
Tauqueer Rahmani,
Mumbai
Clinical examination
The ‘Open Page’ article, “Losing touch” (February 25), does make a point. An over-dependence on technology in the medical profession is an issue. One can only think of the famous line, ‘A job done with the precision of a surgeon’. Gadget use is also adding to the cost of health care, where affordability is important.
Balasubramaniam Pavani,
Secunderabad
I know a veteran doctor who was the head of a department in a leading hospital and adept in technology use, but was a practitioner who still insisted on ‘history taking and clinical examination’ to arrive at a diagnosis. The doctor was most upset on getting to know that one of her patients had sought a second opinion. The lady (the patient) thought the doctor was too old-fashioned and out of touch with medicine as she had not used any gadgets during the interaction with the patient.
Rama Vaidyanathan,
Bengaluru
