Luck of the draw
Sir — Vineeta Shukla, a judicial staffer from Pilibhit, was declared brain dead by doctors in Bareilly. However, while she was being transported home in an ambulance, the vehicle hit a massive pothole on NH-74. The violent jolt seemed to trigger a physical response, causing her to resume normal breathing. The miraculous revival is indeed a twist in the tale. But this cannot be a reason to overlook potholes on roads. A one-in-a-million anomaly, where a freak accident becomes a life-saving stimulus, stands in grim contrast to the thousands of lives cut short as a result of India’s crumbling road infrastructure — potholes caused 9,438 deaths between 2020 and 2024. A chance recovery cannot outweigh all the lives lost on India’s poor roads.
Riya Mondal,
Howrah
Hospital blaze
Sir — A fire incident at the SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, on Monday resulted in at least 12 deaths. A blaze started in the trauma care unit that housed critically ill patients in the early hours of the morning. The incident revives painful memories of the Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College fire in Jhansi in 2024 in which 18 newborns died. Few things can be as tragic as going to a hospital to seek healing only to die in circumstances that could have been prevented. These tragedies can be avoided through regular third-party electrical audits, upgrading old wiring, and installing miniature circuit breakers.
Bal Govind,
Noida
Sir — Had critically ill patients died in a fire at any government hospital in West Bengal in the pre-poll season, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s reaction would have been fierce. Yet, when a similar tragedy occurred in Cuttack, it was treated as an unfortunate accident best left unpoliticised. This highlights the saffron party’s blatant hypocrisy and double standards.
Kajal Chatterjee,
Calcutta
Be pragmatic
Sir — While dismissing a public interest litigation seeking mandatory menstrual leave, the Supreme Court observed that such matters fall within the domain of policymaking and must be addressed by a competent authority after consultation with stakeholders. The court also noted that making menstrual leave compulsory could potentially discourage employers from hiring women. This highlights the urgent need for a balanced approach. Menstrual leave, if properly regulated, can uphold constitutional values of dignity, health, and equality. Addressing menstruation with sensitivity and legal clarity would mark a progressive step towards gender justice in this country.
A.C. Vineeth Kumar,
Thrissur, Kerala
Sir — The Supreme Court had previously observed that if any directive, no matter how relevant, is not pragmatic, it will end up being rejected by the public. In a society where patriarchy remains deeply entrenched and women already pay the price for availing maternity leave, mandatory menstrual leave could invite further discrimination and misogyny. This reflects not just patriarchy but a lack of basic humanity. The fact that seats still have to be reserved for the physically challenged in public transport proves that we collectively lack fundamental values like kindness and empathy, even as we boast about our progress as a nation.
Asim Bandyopadhyay,
Howrah
Sir — The Supreme Court has cautioned that mandatory menstrual leave could unintentionally hinder women’s professional advancement. Instead, the court encouraged voluntary initiatives by states and companies to address the issue.
A practical way forward would be to provide free sanitary products and essential medicines at workplaces, while allowing flexibility within existing leave structures. This approach could strike a balance between healthcare needs and career growth without creating unintended barriers.
S.S. Paul,
Nadia
Grave concern
Sir — In its annual report for 2026, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom recommended targeted sanctions against the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Research and Analysis Wing over alleged violations of religious freedom. Such a serious charge cannot be dismissed and warrants scrutiny. In independent India, the RSS has been banned three times, each instance reflecting concerns over its activities and ideology. By designating India a “country of particular concern”, the USCIRF has pointed to what it describes as a steady erosion of religious freedom in the nation and cited anti-conversion laws and the detention of refugees as evidence of the targeting of minorities.
Jang Bahadur Singh,
Jamshedpur
Name it right
Sir — Jayanta Sengupta’s article, “Cartographic scar” (Mar 16), is timely and relevant. The renaming of Calcutta to Kolkata and Bombay to Mumbai was necessary to shed colonial legacies. Similarly, Orissa and Kerala became Odisha and Keralam, respectively, to better reflect linguistic and cultural identities. In that spirit, West Bengal, too, should be renamed Bangla to erase the colonial imprint. The proposal, however, still awaits the Centre’s approval.
Ananda Dulal Ghosh,
Howrah
Toxic packaging
Sir — Food delivery containers and water bottles are largely made of single-use plastic but they remain outside the list of prohibited items due to a lack of viable alternatives. Yet, such material can react with hot food and leach chemicals into food and water, thereby increasing microplastic levels in the body. Rising microplastic level can have a harmful impact on genetic health. Yet, the industry remains reluctant to switch to alternatives like food-grade packaging paper or biodegradable bottles due to their higher cost.
Kunal Kanti Konar,
Calcutta