Farm laws
It is the central government’s adamancy and no-compromise attitude that have resulted in the government-farmer talks being prolonged. The farmers have been protesting for more than two months amid the cruel winter in Delhi. Their simplest demand is to repeal the three controversial farm laws introduced surreptitiously during the lockdown. Is the offer of keeping the said laws in abeyance for 18 months a concession, as claimed by the Centre? The fear of the farmers is genuine. Where is the guarantee that the Centre may not enforce the laws later on? The government should realise that the farmers are feeders and not enemies of the country.
Manoharan Muthuswamy,
Chennai
Four capitals
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s call for four capitals for India may sound far-fetched (Page 1, January 24). However, her words, in some ways, reflect the sense of alienation felt in different parts of the country. The proceedings in Parliament nowadays create an impression as if non-Hindi speaking areas do not exist. The names being given to the central government’s sponsored schemes are gibberish in the south. Federal principles are being steadily eroded. The rulers in Delhi need a vision.
Manohar Alembath,
Kannur, Kerala
Man, the beast
Cruelty towards animals, both domestic and wild, is on the rise. The recent case of cruelty towards a wild elephant in the Nilgiris by using fire (a burning bag) that eventually caused its death, is heinous. The agony the animal would have experienced cannot be fathomed. This is as bad as the case, in Kerala, where another elephant ate a pineapple that had a bomb, which proved fatal. Stringent punishment is the only remedy to stop such crimes.
Mohan Mangattussery,
Kochi
Dr. V. Shanta
Towards the end of 1963, my mother, with advanced uterine cancer, was admitted to the Cancer Institute, Adyar on the recommendation of Dr. Kamakshi Kabir of Rajaji Hospital, Madurai. Dr. Shanta, as I saw her then, a young and charismatic doctor, was on her rounds. She had words of comfort though it was clear that nothing more could be done in my mother’s case.
In those days the Institute faced financial constraints and had barely adequate medical facilities. B.S. Baruah, PA to the Governor, Bishnuram Medhi, used to visit my mother as he was known to our family. Dr. Shanta would remember my mother as the one who was visited by the PA to the Governor. In response to my gift of donations to the Institute, Dr. Shanta wrote me a letter in which she had referred to my mother as ‘your revered mother’.
Kamala Thothadri,
Chennai
A pat for Team India
I just wanted to congratulate readers in India on their wonderful cricket team. I have really enjoyed watching the progress of the brave and resilient but depleted Indian cricket team battling away against the world’s best bowling outfit. In addition, the team needs to be congratulated for the way it conducted itself. Australia should not have forgotten that cricket is a gentleman’s game — play the game hard, but fair, and treat the game, the opposition, umpires and fans with respect. Perhaps then, Test cricket will survive. Cricket Australia now has the opportunity to reset the sport’s rancid culture.
Eddie Wright,
Mira Mar, Western Australia
