Gain weight

Sir — People anxious to quickly lose weight before big events like a wedding often resort to unhealthy measures, such as intermittent fasting, that cause great harm to the body. But what if one had to quickly gain weight instead? This might soon become a necessity for some in China where weather reports have predicted extremely strong winds that could blow away anyone weighing less than 50 kilogrammes. While there is the option of simply not stepping out of the house, one never knows when an emergency might strike. The Chinese might want to put on a few extra kilos just in case.

Dilip Sinha,
Hyderabad

Wise decision

Sir — The Supreme Court is hearing a batch of petitions challenging the constitutional validity of the newly passed Waqf (Amendment) Act (“Govt holds back on twin waqf peeves”, April 18). The petitions point out that the law poses unnecessary and unwanted intrusions into the religious affairs and property rights of Muslims. The court has passed an interim order to stay some clauses of this law. The Supreme Court should pass a verdict against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, which aims to curtail the religious freedom of a particular community.

Iftekhar Ahmed,
Calcutta

Sir — After several petitions were filed by Muslim religious bodies, political leaders and civil society organisations against the newly-introduced Waqf (Amendment) Act, the Supreme Court has stated some of its reservations against this law. Since the Central government could not tell the court whether it will allow Muslims to be part of Hindu endowment boards, it must be deduced that the Waqf (Amendment) Act is communally motivated. The court has directed that all members of Waqf boards, except ex officio members, must be Muslims.

Zakir Hussain,
Kazipet, Telangana

Sir — The discussion on the Waqf (Amendment) Act in the Supreme Court is an opportunity to reinforce the constitutional values of equality, secularism, and justice. The court has begun reviewing the provisions of the Act and stayed certain clauses mandated by it. The court has asked the Centre some tough questions. This stance reflects the judiciary’s strength and commitment to the Constitution.

R.K. Jain,
Barwani, Madhya Pradesh

Sir — It makes no sense to have Muslims in Hindu boards and vice-versa. It would only disadvantage the minority community while benefiting the ruling party at the Centre.

Fakhrul Alam,
Calcutta

Improper act

Sir — The recent visit by the governor of Tamil Nadu, R.N. Ravi, to an engineering college in Madurai where he forced all the students, irrespective of their religion, to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ reveals his arrogance and fanaticism. Is he not expected to safeguard the secular ethos embedded in the Indian Constitution as a governor? It is high time that Ravi is removed from his post.

Tharcius S. Fernando,
Chennai

High time

Sir — We need to get serious about how we dispose of our waste and discuss
the consequences of haphazard disposal. Of late, we have seen civic authorities place bins marked for wet and dry waste, respectively. While the intent may be laudable, most people do not know the difference between dry and wet waste. Even if they wish to segregate the items, they do not know which bin to use. It would be better if the bins were marked with graphic signs instead. Poor disposal of garbage leads to environmental pollution and may cause diseases such as dengue and malaria.

C.K. Subramaniam,
Navi Mumbai