Hot and cold
Sir — Conflict among co-workers is a natural part of any workplace environment. However, a surprising cause of disgruntlement has emerged among office-goers in recent times — the centralised air conditioning system. In any office, one is sure to find a group of employees shivering in jackets even in peak summer due to the icy blast from the AC, while another group sweats profusely due to insufficient cooling. It is true that individual health factors like metabolism make some people feel cold and others hot. But this tug of war over the office temperature fosters discontent and can lead to a decline in productivity. Perhaps office spaces should discard the one-size-fits-all approach and install adjustable temperature points based on occupancy rate.
Disha Seal,
Noida
Under attack
Sir — While addressing interns of the Rajya Sabha recently, Jagdeep Dhankhar, the House chairman and vice-president, slammed the Supreme Court for setting a timeline for the president and for governors to take decisions on bills passed by legislatures. Dhankhar accused the top court of acting as a "super Parliament" and misusing the provisions of Article 142, which empowers the court to pass any order necessary to ensure justice, that he described as a "nuclear missile against democratic forces." Such statements betray a lack of restraint expected of the occupant of the second-highest constitutional office of India ("Quiet, please", April 21).
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
Sir — The Supreme Court has come under fire from right-wing elements for issuing directions to the president and governors as well as for staying some of the contentious provisions of the newly-passed Waqf (Amendment) Act. Things have now come to such a pass that even the Supreme Court is not spared from vitriolic attacks for merely doing its job. Peeved by the court’s interim order on the Waqf law, the Bharatiya Janata Party member of Parliament, Nishikant Dubey, said that the court was responsible for "inciting religious wars" across the country ("MP red eye at SC for 'overstepping limits'", April 20).
The BJP has promptly distanced itself from Dubey's rant. The silence of the prime minister on the matter is deafening. The inordinate delay in taking decisions on bills by constitutional functionaries had forced the court's hand.
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Sir — Jagdeep Dhankhar's "super Parliament" remark amounts to an attack on the judiciary and is unconstitutional. Dhankhar's interference in judicial matters, his biased conduct in the House, and his deliberate actions that make him look like a party spokesperson have raised concerns about his impartiality. But his opposition to the Supreme Court's judgment in the R.N. Ravi case does not come as a shock. As erstwhile governor of Bengal, Dhankhar, too, had engaged in a tussle with the Mamata Banerjee-led dispensation over his assent to bills.
Aayman Anwar Ali,
Calcutta
Sir — The BJP distancing itself from the remarks made by Nishikant Dubey is an instance of evading responsibility. One wonders whether minions like Dubey are deployed by the party to do the dirty work after which the party disapproves of their deeds just for formality. If Dubey's remarks are indeed in opposition to the party line, he should have been sacked by the party.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,
Faridabad
Sir — Article 142 allows the Supreme Court to pass any order as necessary for rendering complete justice in any cause. But it was envisioned as an extraordinary remedy and not a measure to be taken by the court in any dispute between the Centre and the states. The Supreme Court's use of the provision to settle a conflict between the M.K. Stalin government and the Tamil Nadu governor thus merits scrutiny.
V. Jayaraman,
Chennai
Major concern
Sir — The Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 is a potential threat to the Right to Information guaranteed under Article 19 of the Constitution ("Twin concerns", April 17). Section 44 (3) of this Act aims to exempt all personal information from disclosure. Overregulating the digital world with the legislation will only diminish productivity and prove to be a huge barrier against doing business. The RTI Act is essential and cannot be diluted in the name of bolstering privacy in the digital world.
Prasun Kumar Dutta,
West Midnapore
Sir — The contradiction between a provision of the DPDP Act and that of the RTI Act has presented a source of dilemma. But RTI is integral to ensuring democratic functioning. The ability of the people to access information should not be impacted.
Tapomoy Ghosh,
East Burdwan
Record high
Sir — It is alarming that the price of 24-karat gold has increased over 110% in the last five years — from Rs 44,906 per 10 grams in April 17, 2020 to Rs 95,239 per 10 grams in April 17, 2025. The surge is attributed to fears of a trade war in the aftermath of tariffs imposed by the United States of America. The skyrocketing price is preventing common people from buying gold for weddings. Only the elite can afford the yellow metal at present.
S. Sankaranarayanan,
Chennai
Sir — Due to uncertainty in the global economy, gold prices have reached an all-time high. Following Donald Trump's order for the investigation of key minerals, gold has gained prominence as a safe haven asset. The sudden spike in gold prices has led to a higher number of sellers than buyers in the market, creating an unprecedented situation.
Dattaprasad Shirodkar,
Mumbai