Not on the right track

Righteous indignation

Sir — One should not be surprised by what Susmita Chanda did to the traffic constable, Abdul Mannan Mullick (“Daughter nearly run over by bus, mother hits and slaps constable”, Sept 1). Hitting a public servant on duty may not be approved by law books but Mullick should not take it as a personal affront. Chanda’s slap was not so much directed at the constable on duty on BT Road that morning, but at all those in power who can, if they want, improve Calcutta’s chaotic traffic. The authorities allow mishaps to take place, and get into action when everything is over. Mullick, it seems, has already understood the implication of Chanda’s actions (“I’m also a dad, says slapped cop”, Sept 2). If only all the people in charge could be as sympathetic as Mullick, then the lawlessness on Calcutta’s roads could have been brought under check quickly.

Yours faithfully,
A. Roy Mukherjee, Calcutta

Sir — Judging with his heart rather than his head, M. Mishra of Sealdah court revoked Susmita Chanda’s sentence and released her after asking Chanda to pay Rs 1,000 as personal release bond. She will also have to appear weekly before the Cossipore police station for a month. Misra must have been moved by Chanda’s sincere apology and understood why she assaulted the traffic constable. Chanda’s anxiety for her daughter, who could have been crushed under the wheels of a bus, caused her to take the extreme step. Indeed, the blame for what Chanda did lies less with her than with the inept administration that has been unable to curb the increasing number of road accidents in Calcutta. Every distressed Calcuttan will be able to relate to Chanda’s ire. At the same time, Chanda’s case should not encourage other citizens to insult lawkeepers at the slightest provocation.

Yours faithfully,
Subhankar Mukherjee, Burdwan

Sir — One has only to put oneself in Susmita Chanda’s shoes to condone her behaviour. But it is difficult not to empathize with the constable, Abdul Mannan Mullick. By his own admission, he was busy with the case of an errant motorcyclist when Chanda tried to cross the road. That Mullick has a difficult job at hand is proved by the words of a tea-stall owner who said that it is impossible for a lone traffic policeman to control the commotion near Chiria More.

Yours faithfully,
Ravindra Kumar, Calcutta

Sir — In the last few days, The Telegraph has brought out several reports on the deteriorating traffic situation in Calcutta. But even this extensive coverage has not been able to stir the concerned authorities into action. Buses and autorickshaws continue to run amok on Calcutta’s roads, violating traffic laws and claiming lives. Susmita Chanda’s reaction is just another expression of the pent-up anger of the average Calcuttan with the callous administration, which doggedly refuses to take heed.

Yours faithfully,
Srikanta Bhattacharjee, Calcutta

Sir — It is good to know that the Indian judiciary can boast of judges like M. Misra. That Misra did not follow the law to the letter while judging the case but empathized with the anguish of a mother is a clear indicator of the judge’s compassion.

Yours faithfully,
Bappaditya Pal, Calcutta

Doubts of faith

Sir — It is astounding to note that in spite of the spiritual crisis that Mother Teresa underwent, she remained true to her work as well as to the people on whom she bestowed her love and sympathy (“Letters crack open Mother’s mask”, Aug 25). The Mother’s anguished letters to her friends and colleagues, revealing the ‘dark night of the soul’, cannot dent her image in our eyes. On the contrary, they strengthen our admiration for this exceptional human being who could fight a battle within herself and yet put up a brave face in front of the world. Even if her smile was a “mask”, it at least succeeded in soothing thousands of troubled minds. Besides, the fact that she felt the absence of God so painfully in her life shows her faith in the existence of the Almighty. Mother Teresa’s letters should not stand in the way of her canonization. On the contrary, the documents should support the arguments in favour of bestowing sainthood upon the Mother.

Yours faithfully,
Rahul Sinha, Berhampore

Sir — For hundreds of destitutes and terminally-ill patients who were provided with food and shelter by Mother Teresa, she was an incarnation of the divine. They would continue to believe in her saintly goodness irrespective of whether or not she had suffered in her mind to keep up her faith.

Yours faithfully,
A.S. Mehta, Calcutta

Sir — I was shocked to read the headline of the article on Mother Teresa. The term, “crack”, sounds derogatory and should not have been used. The Mother herself writes that her warm smile was a mask concealing the turbulence inside her mind. But she was not pretending to be someone she was not by putting up a happy face. Rather, she was trying to instil faith in the minds of the people whom she served. And, given the conditions under which the Mother worked, it was not unnatural for her to feel hopeless. But she chose to face her troubles and not run away from them. Her mask was thus a proof of her bravery, and not of her insincerity.

Yours faithfully,
Paul Siromoni, Calcutta