Love and politics
Sir — There is no point in crying over spilt milk. A woman has just remembered matching with New York’s new mayor, Zohran Mamdani, on a dating app and ignoring him because of his height. While the internet is calling it “the fumble of the century”, it is a small reminder that love, like politics, often hinges on the most trivial choices. There are other similarities: both love and politics reward the ones who go beyond appearances rather than the ones taken in by surface glitter. Perhaps there is a lesson here: democracy and dating apps both depend on tall promises, but the results can still surprise everyone.
Annesha Ghosh,
Calcutta
Clear all doubts
Sir — Rahul Gandhi’s allegation of large-scale voter irregularities in Haryana demands a serious and transparent response (“More mud”, Nov 7). Claims of fake entries, duplicate photographs and bulk voting are grave matters that cannot be dismissed with general denials. The Election Commission of India’s hesitant communication on such allegations in the past has only deepened the public’s suspicion. The EC must disclose the steps taken to verify voters and demonstrate how the electoral rolls were protected from manipulation. Vague statements are insufficient in a democracy that depends on public confidence in its institutions. Silence or delay only damages that trust.
Jayanta Datta,
Hooghly
Sir — The EC appears reluctant to confront the vote theft allegations raised by the leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi. The issue has lingered for months, allowing political mudslinging to replace clarity. A credible institution should rely on verifiable evidence, not rhetoric. A prompt technical audit, preferably by an independent panel, would settle doubts about voter duplication or false entries. The longer the EC avoids such scrutiny, the more it risks undermining its authority.
Kamal Laddha,
Bengaluru
Sir — The controversy over voter duplication in Haryana exposes a gap in how electoral disputes are handled. The EC has claimed that its systems are sound; yet it has admitted the need for a Special Intensive Revision. That position appears contradictory. If irregularities truly exist, they must be identified and corrected. If not, the public deserves clear proof of clean rolls. The responsibility to preserve democratic credibility rests squarely on the EC’s shoulders.
P. Victor Selvaraj,
Chennai
Sir — India’s electoral system cannot afford uncertainty about its integrity. Rahul Gandhi’s charges of fake and duplicate voters should have been met with transparent evidence from the EC. Instead, the response has been slow and vague. A credible democracy must not only be fair but also seen to be fair. Immediate publication of the verification data for electoral rolls would restore public faith. Avoidance will only invite more doubt.
Gregory Fernandes,
Mumbai
Sir — The debate over alleged vote theft in Haryana has degenerated into accusation and counter-accusation. Both the EC and political leaders have treated it as a contest of words rather than facts. Public faith in elections is not a partisan concern; it is the foundation of democracy. The EC must actively prove the soundness of its processes. The Opposition must pursue legal remedies instead of conducting press conferences. If the allegations are baseless, evidence must show so. Trust in democracy erodes when institutions appear evasive.
Sreemoy Ghosh,
Calcutta
Correction
In Sunanda K. Datta-Ray’s article, “A dream’s death” (Nov 8), one of the images was erroneously cited as that of Behari Lal Gupta. The published photograph was of Satyendranath Tagore. The error is regretted.