Elusive bonus
Sir — For many in India, asking for an extra sukhi puri from a pani puri street vendor is a cherished rite of passage. Panipuri, phuchka, golgappa, whatever you name it, is more than India’s favourite street snack — it is an emotion. But emotions ran high recently in Vadodara when a woman, miffed at being served only four puris instead of the usual six for Rs 20 from the local vendor, sat on a dharna on the road. When the police intervened, she demanded tearfully that either she be fed the two more puris or that the vendor shut shop and remove his cart elsewhere. Whether her outburst was legitimate or not, her demand for extra puri represents an unwritten social transaction. A wish for a bonus is an ingrained human expectation.
Bobby Varghese,
Ahmedabad
Unfair stance
Sir — The Donald Trump-led administration’s decision to hike the H-1B visa fee to a whopping $100,000 for fresh applications has come as a bombshell. The harsh move smacked of hostility towards workers from India and can be interpreted as a pressure tactic ahead of the next round of the trade talks between India and the United States of America. In seeking to put ‘America First’ and ‘Make America Great Again’, Trump is putting ‘India last’ despite his avowals of friendship with Narendra Modi.
Indian workers make up 71% of all H-1B visa holders. They contribute immensely to technological innovations in the US and do not scrounge free lunches off the US. It would be economically unviable for tech companies to pay the US government a sum of $100,000 to train and employ each foreign worker. The move means that Indian workers are no longer welcome to the ‘land of opportunity’.
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Sir — The US government has been exerting pressure on non-resident Indians by tweaking immigration policies. Its latest move, the steep hike in H-1B visa fee, is aimed at discouraging Indians aspiring to work in the US. Astonishingly, New Delhi is not criticising Trump’s ill-thought-out policies as sternly as it should.
Iftekhar Ahmed,
Calcutta
Sir — Donald Trump should realise that Indians do not steal Americans’ jobs. In fact, Indians played a crucial role in building Silicon Valley and make significant contributions to the American economy (“US visa fee only for new seekers”, Sept 22). The hefty H-1B visa fee is not about jobs but optics for his MAGA voters. It is sheer populism over pragmatism. The Indian Information Technology companies should consider this as an opportunity to launch innovations and provide employment opportunities at home.
Bal Govind,
Noida
Sir — With the exorbitant hike in the H-1B visa fee, the US president has imperilled Indian techies. Highly skilled immigrants now face uncertainty. The impact extends from America’s tech giants to start-ups, which rely heavily on this talent pool. A policy presented as protectionist paradoxically destabilises both immigrant livelihoods and the American economy.
N. Sadhasiva Reddy,
Bengaluru
Sir — Going forward, working in the US will be an option only for the very rich and elite Indians. Donald Trump’s H-1B visa fee hike can be seen as a reaction to India’s inflexible and no-compromise attitude. India will thus be pressured to import US farm produce on competitive commercial terms.
Sush Kocher,
Jaipur
Sir — Narendra Modi and Donald Trump’s bromance made it seem like India and the US had a cordial relationship. But such a perception has been debunked with Trump raining blows on India repeatedly. First, the US imposed a 50% tariff penalty on India. Second, Trump asked the European Union to impose a 100% tariff on India. Third, he declared India to be one of the largest suppliers of narcotics. The US move to end the sanctions waiver given to India for Iran’s Chabahar port threatens New Delhi’s $500-million investment and its bid to reach Central Asia bypassing Pakistan. The Trump administration’s decision on H-1B visas will break India’s back. Will New Delhi be able to withstand such a major blow? Will the Indian right-wing still regard Trump as Modi’s well-wisher?
Jang Bahadur Singh,
Jamshedpur
Shared tunes
Sir — Music provides a healing touch to our cacophonic life full of anxiety, isolation and perplexity. When the world is mired in conflict, apathy and indifference, melodies can dissolve borders and spread the message of peace and harmony (“Music beyond borders”, Sept 22). Collaborative albums — Sangam by Javed Akhtar and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan is an example — highlight the power of shared musical heritage between India and Pakistan. This should be tapped into. Unfortunately, the boycott of Pakistani artists like Atif Aslam in India cautions against the shadow of nationalism falling on this shared music.
Prasun Kumar Dutta,
West Midnapore
People’s artist
Sir — When a person’s name becomes synonymous with a region, then the importance of that person hardly needs to be explained. Zubeen Garg, who passed away recently, had won a place in the hearts of the Assamese. Garg donned many hats: singer, lyricist, composer, actor, music director. Because of his outspoken nature, he often found himself in the middle of controversies, yet he never hesitated to speak the truth. He was an artist in the truest sense.
Deborshi Gautam,
Nalbari, Assam
Sir — The tragic demise of the famous singer-composer, Zubeen Garg, at the age of 52, is disheartening for music-lovers (“Scuba-dive mishap kills Zubeen”, Sept 20). He was a legend and a prized asset of Indian music.
Sourish Misra,
Calcutta