Hands matter
Sir — The imposition of Western eating etiquette makes indigenous and healthy practices like using bare hands and sitting on the floor while eating seem improper and uncouth. No wonder then that a video of Zohran Mamdani, the New York City mayoral candidate, eating rice and curry with his fingers has evoked consternation from a Republican lawmaker who asked the former to “go back to the Third World”. The hypocrisy is palpable here. For a country whose popular food items include tacos, French fries, burgers and pizzas — all devoured using fingers — lecturing on cutlery etiquette is slightly misplaced.
Sourjo Sinha,
Delhi
Colour conscious
Sir — That colourism exists even in liberal and democratic spheres is a bitter truth (“A dark stain”, June 30). The stigma that societies attach to a dark complexion is experienced on a day-to-day basis. But to tar everyone with the same brush would be a tad unfair. Many are above discriminating against people based on their skin tone. At the heart of colourism lies the politics of social hierarchy influenced by colonialism, slavery and prejudice.
So far as the social behaviour of discrimination is concerned, even people with fair skin tones are not spared if they hail from marginalised backgrounds. What is needed is to empower people and eradicate social biases based on colour, race, ethnicity, caste and region.
Manzar Imam,
Purnea, Bihar
Sir — “A dark stain” by Jayanta Sengupta discusses the implications of colourism prevalent in India and South Africa. However, discrimination against African Americans and Latinos is widespread across the United States of America. Colourism in India is a colonial legacy which Indians shamelessly adhere to.
Alok Ganguly,
Nadia
Sir — Jayanta Sengupta’s piece on the ills of colourism was as an eye-opener. Indians are sickeningly colour-conscious. We scream about racism abroad but see no problem in ill-treating a dark-skinned fellow citizen or anyone who looks different. Combating colourism in India needs the commitment of all of society to make it equitable for all regardless of skin colour. The objective should be to create a world where skin colour ceases to dictate one’s opportunities or value. The postulation by Alfred Adler, an eminent psychologist, that superiority complexes are essentially inferiority complexes that mask feelings of insecurity rings true here.
Ranganthan Sivakumar,
Chennai
Sir — The desire for fairer skin has been entrenched among Indians for centuries. This is because fair complexion has been historically considered superior. The Puranas and the Vedas describe gods as hiranya or swetha varna. The photographs of gods and goddesses in posters and calendars portray them as fair-skinned. Dark skin is erroneously associated with the labour class and vices. That a person of the rank of state chief secretary had to face discrimination based on her skin speaks volumes about the extent of this scourge.
The media industry glorifies whiteness. Actors and models have been promoting fairness products. Dark-complexioned girls are often forced to apply pastes of turmeric, milk and curd to their faces to make themselves fair. Such practices inculcate feelings of inferiority among children.
H.N. Ramakrishna,
Bengaluru
Poll strategy
Sir — The senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader and Rajya Sabha member, Samik Bhattacharya, was unanimously elected as the next president of the West Bengal unit of the saffron party (“Swayamsevak Samik to help Bengal BJP”, July 3). Bhattacharya, 61, started his career in 1971 with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh in Howrah and subsequently moved to the BJP.
Bhattacharya’s key challenges will include ensuring better coordination between the party’s organisational and legislative wings and unifying the various factions within the state unit. Further, the selection of an upper caste leader as the BJP state president is a statement that the party wants to consolidate Hindu votes for the upcoming assembly elections.
S.S. Paul,
Nadia
Sir — Samik Bhattacharya’s ascension to the post of the Bengal BJP president is seen as a strategic move by the central leadership that is keen on leveraging his strong oratory skills and wide acceptability among both old and new BJP workers. This development will have a bearing on the party’s fortunes in the 2026 state elections.
Khokan Das,
Calcutta
Stay out
Sir — Tourism strengthens economies and supports local communities. However, in Barcelona and other European cities, locals have launched a unique protest to drive away tourists from popular spots. They are troubled by the unchecked growth of tourism, the unruly behaviour of tourists, the increasing cost of living, and growing unrest caused by mass tourism. The water gun has become the weapon of choice and a symbol of anti-tourism protests across Europe.
Dattaprasad Shirodkar,
Mumbai