Sour fruit
Sir — Inflation has already put paid to most luxuries in the lives of middle class Indians. But now it is also stealing small joys that make life worth living. A case in point is skyrocketing prices of raw mangoes — such is the crisis that pickle makers across India, especially small-scale, independent entrepreneurs, predict a shortage in mango pickle in the coming year. Combined with the fact that prices of limes, tamarind, edible oil, sugar and spices have also seen a rise across the country, pickles other than mango will also be more expensive. This would be a travesty as many regions across India cannot imagine a meal without a side of pickle. Nothing beats a plate of gorom bhaat and masoor dal spiced with some mango pickle.
Sampurna Saha,
Calcutta
Spot the difference
Sir — The Supreme Court has laid down a comprehensive legal framework to combat trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and children while ensuring the dignified rehabilitation of survivors across India (“Progressive”, June 8). The court held that consent remains the central legal distinction in determining whether a case involves trafficking or voluntary adult sex work. Rescue operations under Sections 15 and 16 of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, 1956 must focus on identifying exploitation, coercion, trafficking, abuse, or force rather than indiscriminately criminalising vulnerable individuals engaged in sex work despite their consent. The court also established a nationwide Victim Protection Framework covering rescue, rehabilitation, prosecution, and reintegration.
S.S. Paul,
Nadia
Sir — For too long, the law treated trafficking victims and adult sex workers alike. Both were sent to shelters, even when they did not ask for help. This undermined their freedom and enabled police misuse. The Supreme Court now says officials must first determine whether a person was forced. It also says consent must guide all decisions relating to rescue and rehabilitation. This protects dignity and prevents welfare from becoming a form of control. Police and judges must be trained to distinguish trafficking from voluntary sex work. Parliament should amend laws that conflate the two, protect victims from criminalisation, and hold officials accountable. A good judgment remains only on paper unless action gives people real choice.
K. Chidanand Kumar,
Bengaluru
Sir — It is heartening that the Supreme Court has recently issued a comprehensive VPF, mandated systemic reforms, and clarified that voluntary adult sex workers cannot be rescued, detained, or rehabilitated against their will, affirming their constitutional right to dignity and autonomy under Article 21. The need now is to clearly distinguish between trafficking victims and voluntary sex workers. This distinction is vital because rescue operations have historically blurred the line, leading to the detention of adults who willingly engage in sex work.
Khokan Das,
Calcutta
Pocket pinch
Sir — There has been a fresh hike of Rs 29 in the price of domestic LPG cylinders. The Indian economy is facing multiple challenges. India is not strong enough to withstand shocks arising from the war in West Asia. Limited investment opportunities in emerging technological sectors such as Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing, and semiconductor manufacturing add to the reasons for India’s weakness. Moreover, with a low per capita income, India faces questions about the credibility of its macroeconomic data, particularly as growth figures are often considered overestimated. Allegations of electoral autocracy also gain traction when the country ranks poorly on indices such as the Human Development Index, Hunger Index, Democracy Index, and the Press Freedom Index. Only a realistic handling of these challenges can help India navigate them.
Sukhendu Bhattacharjee,
Hooghly
Sir — Domestic LPG prices have been increased by Rs 29 per cylinder, with the revised rates coming into effect on June 7. Following the latest hike, the price of a 14.2-kg domestic LPG cylinder in Delhi has risen to Rs 942 from Rs 913. This is the second increase in three months, driven by global supply disruptions and rising international prices linked to the conflict in West Asia. The increase in domestic LPG prices comes even as the prices of petrol, diesel, aviation turbine fuel, commercial LPG cylinders, and other petroleum products have risen because of constrained global supplies. The latest revision only partially offsets the losses incurred on cooking gas sales. Despite the hike, the petroleum ministry has stated that Indian households continue to enjoy some of the lowest cooking gas prices in the world. Even so, household budgets are feeling the strain of higher cooking gas costs. But many homemakers are expressing their frustration.
Jayanthy Subramaniam,
Mumbai
Sir — The hike in prices of domestic LPG cylinder prices will stretch household budgets. The justification offered by the government only adds to public frustration. Its claim that LPG prices in India remain among the lowest in the world is more amusing than convincing. Indian voters have not elected the governments of other countries, nor are those
governments accountable to the struggling masses in India.
A.G. Rajmohan,
Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh
Clay conquered
Sir — After years of near-misses, Alexander Zverev won his first Grand Slam title, defeating Flavio Cobolli in the French Open final. Yet his triumph revives the debate over domestic abuse allegations made by his former partners. Zverev’s wait for a Grand Slam title is
over. But his uncomfortable status within the sport is unchanged.
Indranil Sanyal,
Calcutta