Unruly turn
Sir — Ram Navami almost turned Calcutta’s streets into a low-budget action movie. The saffron brigade took out bike parades with over 50 vehicles with the riders carrying everything, from sticks to actual swords, which are illegal to carry without permits. Most of these riders rode without helmets or even working silencers on their bikes. Yet the traffic police, who treat citizens and quick-commerce riders like criminals for even minor transgressions, were mostly silent. Such a blatant display of violence and lawlessness is the last thing that one associates with the Ram rajya of the epic.
Rana Das,
Howrah
Grave lapses
Sir — Repeated lapses at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital highlight grave shortcomings in safety, administration, and patient care (“Failing facilities at RG Kar,” Mar 26). After a man got trapped and died in a lift, a patient died because he had to walk to a pay-and-use toilet. These are not isolated events but symptoms of systemic negligence that endangers lives and erodes public trust. To restore confidence and prevent future failures, the government must ensure a transparent investigation, affix strict accountability, and take immediate corrective measures.
Bijurica Chakraborty,
Calcutta
Sir — The collapsing infrastructure at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital reflects a malaise extending far beyond one institution. Broken toilets and scarce stretchers and patients waiting beside garbage heaps strip dignity from the vulnerable even before treatment begins. When lives are lost for needing basic facilities like a toilet, it is no longer a mere inconvenience — it is justice denied. This is systemic apathy; suffering has become routine. It is a reality across many Indian cities. Urgent, sustained investment in and an upgrade of basic amenities are essential to ensure citizens have access to basic health amenities.
Veda Chidanand,
Bengaluru
Sir — The reputation of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital remains tarnished amidst many tragedies. The 2024 rape and murder of a doctor on duty was marked by allegations of a botched investigation. Now there has been a series of events. A man lost his life when he
was forced to use a lift without an operator because the trauma care floor lacked washrooms. Even when the lift got stuck, none came to his aid in spite of his family trying to get help. Another patient died because he had to walk to the toilet despite his injuries. Their deaths are the result of a flawed system where public safety is ignored.
Chanchal Nandy,
Durgapur
Hefty fine
Sir — A jury handed a $375 million penalty to Meta after finding the company liable for child safety issues on its platforms. The case revealed that dummy accounts posing as minors were quickly exposed to predators and explicit content. This is a defining moment for big tech’s ethical responsibilities.
Khokan Das,
Calcutta
Weight warning
Sir — With over 100 million Indians affected by obesity, there is rampant misuse of weight-loss drugs without medical guidance (“Double blow”, Mar 26). Sustainable weight loss is best achieved through dietary changes and regular exercise.
Kiran Agarwal,
Calcutta
Stark irony
Sir — With the 2026 West Bengal assembly elections looming, the Systematic Voters’ Education and Electoral Participation programme is working overtime to remind us that every vote counts. However, it is hard to believe it when lakhs of electors have been deleted from the rolls due to “logical discrepancies”.
Manas Mukhopadhyay,
Hooghly
