Costly fantasy

Sir — The Little Mermaid, in the fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson, was willing to give up her life in the sea to gain a human soul. However, a human life, it seems, is not that alluring anymore. Mermaiding — it refers to enthusiasts slipping into colourful mermaid tails and wigs and taking a dip into the local swimming pool or open water — has emerged as a favourite pastime for many across America. More than a playful occasion to dress up, the ability to swim while bonding with fellow mermaids and mermen allows people to escape the drudgery of reality by providing a beautiful fantasy. However, just like any other therapy, stress relief through mermaiding hardly comes cheap.

Basundhara Gupta,
Pune

Cruel reminder

Sir — A year after the horrific rape and murder at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital that led to nationwide protests, the promises made in its wake have failed to translate into real change (“A year lost”, Aug 9). The concerns that brought thousands of medical professionals to the streets — unsafe working conditions, long duty hours and poor enforcement of laws — remain unresolved. Weak implementation of rules continues to leave doctors vulnerable to threats and violence. The demand for secure, respectful and humane working environments has never been more urgent.

S.S. Paul,
Nadia

Sir — The sight of barricades put up by the Mamata Banerjee-led administration in anticipation of the protest to mark the first anniversary of the R.G. Kar tragedy exposes its ignominy (“Scars of a march to heal wounds”, Aug 10). It is appalling that the state police not only denied permission to the protesters to march towards Nabanna but also purportedly attacked the victim’s mother. From destroying evidence and shielding culprits to targeting the aggrieved family, each reckless action has dealt a severe blow to Banerjee’s image ahead of the high-voltage assembly elections scheduled next year.

Aayman Anwar Ali,
Calcutta

Sir — It is almost farcical that the ruling party at the Centre, which has been blamed in the past for its incapacity to prevent or for enabling barbaric incidents like gang-rape, caste atrocity, ethnic violence, is acting conscientiously only in the case of the R.G. Kar horror. Organising a protest to mark its first anniversary is a case in point. The politicisation of the incident by the Bharatiya Janata Party can be seen as an attempt to occupy Bengal through the back door.

Kajal Chatterjee,
Calcutta

Sir — A year after the rape and murder of a young doctor at R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital, the real culprit(s?) have remained scot-free, allegedly owing to the tacit support of the ruling dispensation in Bengal. It beggars belief that only one civic volunteer was responsible for the heinous crime.

Even the Central investigative agency could not make any significant progress due to the inadequate evidence. What is lacking is the will and the intention of concerned authorities to resolve the case. The Aparajita Woman and Child (West Bengal Criminal Laws Amendment) Bill 2024, enacted by the state government in the face of the mass outcry after the incident, is nothing but an eyewash.

Soumendra Choudhury,
Calcutta

Sir — The safety and the security of women depend not only on the strict implementation of laws but also on a change in the overall mindset. Education should go beyond what girls can do to prevent being victims to the attitudes that boys have towards women and their notions about masculinity. Steps should be taken and the actions so that men learn about mutual respect and egalitarianism.

Asim Bandopadhyay,
Howrah

Forgotten lessons

Sir — The shadow of the atomic explosions of 1945 still haunts humanity (“Under that cloud”, Aug 10). The use of Agent Orange by the American military during the Vietnam war showed that no lessons were learnt from the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The nuclear disarmament initiatives undertaken since then have hardly yielded results. The rat race for the production of atomic weapons has only surged over time.

Prasun Kumar Dutta,
West Midnapore

Grey areas

Sir — The editorial, “Grey gig” (Aug 11), was a wake-up call. The quick-commerce economy is providing livelihood opportunities to many unemployed people. But the deplorable working conditions of the gig workers have made them vulnerable. Gig workers need to be organised under unions so that their grievances can be communicated and addressed.

A.G. Rajmohan,
Anantapur, Andhra Pradesh

Sir — While presented as flexible and empowering, the gig economy is plagued by low pay, unpredictable hours, and limited access to labour rights. The absence of formalisation in the gig economy can hinder long-term stability. The government needs to develop regulations that extend labour protections to gig workers.

Khokan Das,
Calcutta

Skipped show

Sir — The Bengali film, Dear Maa, will be released in 50 theatres across North America. Yet Bengalis in Jamshedpur are being deprived of the experience of watching new Bengali releases, such as Grihaprabesh, Putul Naacher Itikatha, though Jamshedpur has a sizeable Bengali population.

Ratna Datta,
Jamshedpur