Stray friends
Sir — At a time when the Supreme Court in India has passed a verdict to remove stray dogs from areas with schools, hospitals and from public transport hubs, a New York City councillor, Keith Powers, has introduced a bill to update the city’s health code to allow cats to live in bodegas. Bodega cats are technically illegal in the city, much like stray dogs are now in India. But Powers says that these cats embody the “New York spirit: friendly, welcoming and anti-rat.” The bill would also set up free vaccination for them. India should take note of this and establish protective laws for the strays along with vaccination drives.
Anupama Singh,
Hooghly
Too simple
Sir — The prime minister, Narendra Modi, holds the English administrator, Thomas Babington Macaulay, responsible for anglicising the Indian way of thinking and living life and India’s disconnection from its roots (“Old theme” Nov 21). However, history is too complex for it to be seen in black and white. It has to be approached and understood in a nuanced manner.
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Sir — Narendra Modi has reiterated his resolve to end the colonial way of thinking within next decade. But he has not presented a roadmap for this. To dismiss Thomas Babington Macaulay’s entire education policy would be unjust. Many of those educated under Macaulay’s system of education participated in the freedom struggle, while the Bharatiya Janata Party’s forebears sided with the British.
S.K. Choudhury,
Bengaluru
Gaps persist
Sir — The Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 was formulated a decade ago to ensure a compassionate and child-friendly approach towards children in conflict with the law (“Uncared for”, Nov 26). Unfortunately, despite this intention, more than 50,000 children were still awaiting justice as of October 2023. Prolonged institutionalisation deprives children of their childhood and can lead to increased aggression and behavioural issues, making their reintegration into society even more difficult.
Kiran Agarwal,
Calcutta
Sir — The editorial, “Uncared for”, rightly highlighted gaps that persist a decade after the passage of the JJA. Stronger and more transparent scrutiny at every stage of dealing with a juvenile accused — from reporting to inquiry to adjudication — robust safeguards against motivated complaints, and better-trained frontline institutions would ensure that the law serves its intended purpose.
Harsh Pawaria,
Rohtak, Haryana
Sir — The JJCPCA was aimed at streamlining the juvenile justice delivery system. This has not happened. A National Data Grid for monitoring juvenile delinquents and inter-agency coordination would go a long way in addressing this issue.
Prasun Kumar Dutta,
Kharagpur
Unhealthy habit
Sir — There was a time when adults used to exhort children to study and this advice was taken. But nowadays students are spending most of their time in unproductive pursuits on mobile phones. Parents must thus be extra attentive.
Nadeem Asim,
Dhakiya, Uttar Pradesh
Sir — Mobile phones have become a major source of distraction for children. Instead of focusing on creative activities, many children spend hours watching videos, playing games, or scrolling through social media. This also limits real-life communication and impairs family ties. Parents and teachers must guide children to use mobile phones wisely and encourage healthy habits.
Sofikul Islam,
Goalpara, Assam