Private bonhomie

Sir — What unfolded a few days ago at the wedding ceremony of the daughter of an industrialist had raised eyebrows. Kangana Ranaut from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mahua Moitra from the Trinamool Congress, and Supriya Sule from the Nationalist Congress Party shared the stage, dancing to a Bollywood song. It was indeed refreshing to see the parliamentarians, who are otherwise bitter rivals and rarely miss a chance to criticise each other, match their steps forgetting political differences. But alas, this was a private setting. If rivals could also collaborate politically, perhaps it would lead to sound policymaking in Parliament.

Bidisha Dey,
Delhi

Deadly act

Sir — The deadly shooting during Hanukkah celebrations at Sydney’s Bondi Beach on Sunday underscores the sharp rise in anti-Semitic sentiments since Israel’s disproportionate military response to the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023 (“Sydney Jewish fest massacre”, Dec 15). Other countries have also witnessed an increase in such attacks. Australia, as the Bondi Beach shooting shows, is no longer immune to this phenomenon.

Australia is home to more than 117,000 Jews. At a time when synagogues are being targeted and Jews attacked across the world, what is being threatened is not only Jewish safety but also democratic stability itself.

Khokan Das,
Calcutta

Sir — The persecution of Jews by the Nazis in the first half of the 20th century garnered global sympathy for the community. However, Israel’s unending war against Palestine has now turned its image into that
of an aggressor. The shooting at Bondi Beach was an instance of the opposition that Israel is facing today for its actions.

There has been an unprecedented surge in anti-Semitic incidents globally. The violence against Jews is completely unjustifiable. The Israeli government needs to introspect and stop its mindless violence in Gaza.

Jang Bahadur Singh,
Jamshedpur

Sir — Reports of a shooting at a Hanukkah event in Australia in which at least 15 people were killed by gunmen have heightened concern over rising anti-Semitism amid tensions in West Asia. Israel, the United States of America and India have condemned the attack and urged zero tolerance of violence. In contrast, India’s Jewish community remains largely secure, backed by strong social acceptance and enhanced government security at synagogues.

R.S. Narula,
Patiala

Tale of two cities

Sir — While Calcutta miserably failed to uphold its spirited tradition of sporting culture in one of the biggest events arranged in the city in honour of the Argentine football legend, Lionel Messi, Hyderabad set an example by conducting its chapter flawlessly (“Messy”, Dec 15). Football lovers gathered at the Salt Lake Stadium to catch a glimpse of their favourite icon but they were treated to an ugly mayhem.

Arun Kumar Baksi,
Calcutta

Sir — Lionel Messi visited both Calcutta and Hyderabad on Saturday and his receptions were starkly different in the two cities. In Hyderabad, the event was accorded dignity and was notable for its decorum. Nothing exceptional occurred. Crowd regulation was firm, the boundaries held, and the fans got a glimpse of their favourite footballer.

Calcutta revealed a different picture. The occasion was marred by congestion, spectacle and hooliganism. This is not an indictment of fans. It shows what happens when sporting events are burdened by VIP culture.

Roshni Ojha,
Howrah

Sir — The smooth conduct of the exhibition match featuring Lionel Messi in Hyderabad is a testament to the good organisational capacity of the Telangana government, impeccable logistical arrangements, and sound police security. It is sad and shocking that an event which gave the football fans of Hyderabad ‘a night to remember’ was a ‘day that must be forgotten’ for their compatriots in Calcutta.

M.C. Vijay Shankar,
Chennai

Sir — It is shameful that a global football icon’s visit to Calcutta was reduced to a personal selfie session for organisers and politicians. They must be held accountable for the failure. Calcutta must take lessons from Hyderabad’s smooth hosting of Lionel Messi.

Bal Govind,
Noida

Sir — Where Calcutta failed, Hyderabad delivered. The Hyderabad leg of Lionel Messi’s GOAT tour was smooth and free from chaos. The chief minister of Telangana, A. Revanth Reddy, must be congratulated for the success of the event. This template must be followed by event organisers.

Mihir Kanungo,
Calcutta

Sir — While Hyderabad and Mumbai successfully hosted smooth, fan-friendly events for Lionel Messi’s GOAT tour, Calcutta’s Salt Lake Stadium failed due to poor organisation, resulting in a chaotic, brief appearance of the star that frustrated fans. In Hyderabad, fans got to see Messi play football with the chief minister, creating memorable moments.

S.S. Paul,
Nadia

Integrate them

Sir — Rapid digitisation in India has resulted in the creation of multiple citizen databases such as Aadhaar, EPIC, PAN, birth and death registers. But their fragmented operation has led to the duplication of records and outdated information. Linking Aadhaar with voter ID
and death registration databases can enable the automatic removal of dubious names.

Gautam Dasgupta,
Calcutta