Spend wisely

Sir — Gone are the days when people would wait for festivals or special occasions to buy clothes. The advent of online shopping portals has resulted in people compulsively buying things that they do not need. But they fail to understand that overconsumption of apparel adds to environmental pollution — clothes release half a million tonnes of plastic microfibres into the ocean every year. Although manufacturers are now opting for sustainable material to ease the burden on the planet, such steps must be accompanied with mindful consumption. There is no reason why anyone should have 10 pairs of jeans in their wardrobe.

Ananya Chakraborty,

Calcutta

Another loss

Sir — The resignation of the former Union law minister, Ashwani Kumar, days before the Punjab assembly polls must have come as a blow to the Congress. This will adversely affect the fortunes of the Grand Old Party in the state. The Congress seems to be losing senior leaders one after another. The party high command must take stock of the situation and prevent any further exodus of the ‘old guard’.

N. Mahadevan,

Chennai

Sir — It is not surprising that Ashwani Kumar has decided to part ways with the Grand Old Party. Senior leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about the functioning of the party, especially its outdated organizational structure and lack of internal democracy. The Congress must introspect if it hopes to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Minakshi Tandon,

Patiala

For shame

Sir — A statue of Mahatma Gandhi in Champaran, the place from where he launched his first satyagraha in 1917, has been vandalized (“Champaran shocker on Gandhi”, Feb 15). The statue was broken at the ankles and left on the ground at a park at Motihari.

It must be noted that the desecration of Gandhi’s statue coincides with growing discontent among certain sections of the youth regarding the Mahatma’s role in the partition of the subcontinent. This must be condemned.

Vinay Verma,

Ujjain

Sir — It was shocking to learn that a statue of Mahatma Gandhi was vandalized at Motihari in East Champaran. The attack on the statue proves that Gandhi’s legacy of brotherhood, non-violence, peace and harmony continues to stir emotions as it did one hundred years ago.

Samir Das,

Cooch Behar

Sir — Many in present-day India find faults with M.K. Gandhi but that does not justify disrespecting the Father of the Nation. It is the constant assault on the legacy of Gandhi by the Hindutva forces that emboldens people to perpetrate such attacks on statues. Those responsible for the vandalization must be brought to book.

Rudra Bakshi,

Dhanbad

Golden voice

Sir — The demise of the eminent singer, Sandhya Mukherjee, has left a void in the world of music (“Sandhya Mukherjee passes away”, Feb 16). Mukherjee began her career over 70 years ago and went on to sing some of the most iconic tunes of the time, such as “Madhumaloti dake aay” and “Ghum ghum chand jhikimiki tara”. She was conferred the National Award in 1971 for her songs for Nishipadma and Jay Jayanti. The West Bengal government awarded the veteran singer with the Banga Bibhusan, the highest civilian honour of the state, in 2011. She will be missed.

Indranil Sanyal,

Calcutta

Sir — Many of us have fond memories of listening to songs by Sandhya Mukherjee in our youth. While a childhood favourite was “O bok bok bokom payra” from Mayamriga, it was “Ei poth jodi na shesh hoy” from the Uttam Kumar-Suchitra Sen starrer, Saptapadi, which mesmerized me during my university days. Mukherjee was one of the last great artists from the golden age of Bengali playback singing. Her songs will continue to enthrall the generations to come.

Arun Kumar Baksi,

Calcutta

Sir — Music lovers were still mourning the death of Lata Mangeshkar when we learnt that Sandhya Mukherjee had passed away. Apart from her contributions to music, Mukherjee also played a pivotal role in raising awareness about the plight of the Bangladeshis during the Liberation War. She also performed for free to raise money for the refugees who were forced to seek shelter in India at the height of the war and was also one of the first foreign artists to visit Dhaka. Few would know that Mukherjee sang for the Swadhin Bangla Betar Kendra in Calcutta, which was set up by the government of Bangladesh in exile. Her demise was mourned equally on both sides of the border.

Krishna Bandhyopadhyay,

Calcutta

On track

Sir — It was heartening to learn that representatives from more than 100 countries at the One Ocean Summit have committed to measures aimed at preserving the ocean from human harm. This includes stepping up the fight against illegal fishing, reducing plastic pollution as well as better protection of international waters. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization has pledged to map 80 per cent of the seabed as opposed to the 20 per cent at present. Hopefully, all parties will keep their end of the bargain.

Niladri Banerjee,

Calcutta

Parting shot

Sir — Every year, several stray animals are poisoned by people in the locality in which they live. It is appalling how anyone can commit such violence without remorse.

Ritam Halder,

Calcutta