Sloppy words
Sir — Language appears to have taken a muddy detour. ‘Slop’, now crowned Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year, has slipped from its eighteenth-century meaning, mud, into modern screens, where it describes content produced quickly and generously but without much sense. Artificial Intelligence excels at volume, but originality remains outside its skill set. Words arrive in torrents, ideas struggle to keep up, and readers wade through paragraphs that lead nowhere in particular. The dictionary is quietly noting how vocabulary adapts to technological habits. Change has always characterised language, but this moment feels different. The hope is that sense in writing will survive being dragged through the mud and good writing will prevail.
M. Pradyu,
Kannur, Kerala
Dubious motive
Sir — Post-Independence, the Hindu right-wing chose “Vande Mataram” as its war cry largely to mobilise the idea of Hindu nationalism. For the jingoists, “Vande Mataram” has functioned more as a whip than as a musical offering that unites the country. Their current intention is to use the song as ideological fodder and to settle old scores with the first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and the Congress (“On Bande Mataram”, Dec 16). A mature democracy must outgrow symbolic skirmishes and instead defend inclusive and secular nationalism.
Ranganathan Sivakumar,
Chennai
Sir — Sugata Bose’s article, “On Bande Mataram”, rightly underscores the rationalist, anti-theocratic roots of “Vande Mataram”. Yet, in the contemporary discourse, the song has been co-opted by an ideology that blurs the distinction between Rabindranath Tagore’s inclusive “Bande Mataram” and Bankim Chandra Chatterjee’s literary “Vande Mataram”. The freedom fighters conceived the song with secular, patriotic intent; yet selective interpretations risk communalising it.
Harsh Pawaria,
Rohtak, Haryana
Sir — It is scandalous that the great humanitarian song of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay is being exploited by India’s ruling elite to instigate communal hatred. Those invoking charges of the “appeasement” of Muslims by latching on to the excision of certain stanzas of “Vande Mataram” seek to polarisise the electorate.
Kajal Chatterjee,
Calcutta
Read the signs
Sir — The results of the local body polls in Kerala indicate the people’s desire for change (“Early signs”, Dec 16). It is remarkable that the Bharatiya Janata Party, largely driven by its religious ideology, has made inroads in the state. Talk of development alone has not sufficed. People expected much more from the Left Democratic Front government. Several factors played a role in the LDF’s drubbing, including the financial crises caused by the state’s lopsided priorities as well as the woes of farmers and government staff.
S.S. Paul,
Nadia
Sir — The United Democratic Front can seriously challenge the LDF’s bid to return to power in next year’s assembly election in Kerala. There is anger among the electorate against the Left regime over a host of unfulfilled promises. Even the BJP has reason to be jubilant, having defeated the Left and the Congress in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation election.
Jayanta Datta,
Hooghly
Shameful slip
Sir — The recent incident where the chief minister of Bihar, Nitish Kumar, attempted to remove the hijab of a doctor is disturbing and unacceptable. Such an act is not just a mistake but a violation of the dignity and freedoms of a citizen. A woman’s attire, especially when rooted in faith, is her personal right. No individual, regardless of his or her position or power, has the authority to interfere with it. Acts that humiliate minorities or women must be strongly condemned and those in power must be held accountable.
Omar Faruque,
Goalpara, Assam
Sir — Nitish Kumar should be called out for his shameful behaviour. These days, it has become a habit among political leaders to hurt the sentiments of certain religions. Such transgressions should be dealt with with an iron hand. Kumar should at least be gracious enough to apologise to the doctor.
N. Mahadevan,
Chennai
Sir — It is disgraceful that Nitish Kumar tried to pull down the veil from the face of an Ayush doctor while handing her an appointment letter at a function. More than 24 hours after the shocking incident, neither the chief minister nor the Janata Dal (United) had extended any apology or expressed regret. By failing to offer an immediate apology, Kumar may well have to pay a heavy political price.
Bhagwan Thadani,
Mumbai
Risky profession
Sir — Every morning, our municipality’s garbage collector arrives at our doorstep. He methodically segregates dry and wet waste but does so without gloves or a mask, putting himself at high risk of exposure to pathogens and vector-borne diseases. Studies reveal that sanitation workers face inadequate health and safety policies. Many are employed on contract, with no guarantee of leave or regular salaries. The authorities should be urged to provide basic safety gear to all sanitation workers.
Nibedita Das,
North 24 Parganas
Sir — Sanitation workers perform one of the most essential yet overlooked services in urban life. Authorities must recognise that dignity of labour also requires safety and protection. Ensuring humane working conditions is a State responsibility.
Shreya Basu,
Nainital
