Unfair demand
Sir — The house help is expected to show up for work every day. Perhaps this indispensability of domestic workers is the inspiration behind Urban Company’s latest Insta Help service — it is presently in its pilot phase in Mumbai — which promises to send a house help within 15 minutes at an hourly rate of Rs 49. Seamless delivery of products like groceries is a technological innovation, symptomatic of the capitalist age. However, applying the same logistics to the delivery of manual labour is dehumanising, especially when domestic workers are not even protected under labour laws.
Divya Sinha,Bengaluru
Insensitive ruling
Sir — The editorial, “Problematic” (Mar 26), which argued against a recent verdict by the Allahabad High Court — the apex court has stayed the ruling — that grabbing a minor’s breasts, tearing her pyjama strings, and dragging her were not sufficient facts to suggest a rape attempt, was illuminating. One wonders how law can be interpreted differently by different judges. How can there be diverse definitions of attempt to rape under the Indian law?
A.G. Rajmohan,Andhra Pradesh
Sir — To say that the recent Allahabad High Court verdict on rape was shocking would be an understatement. In legalese, there might be subtle differences between rape and an attempt to rape. However, it is baffling to fathom what other motive could there have been for those perpetrators, who grabbed a minor’s breasts, tore her pyjama strings, and took her beneath a culvert, besides raping her. The seriousness of a crime cannot be minimised owing to such controversial interpretations of the law. In a society where the majority of cases of crime against women go unreported, such a ruling will only discourage women.
Bal Govind,Noida
Sir — It is heartening that the Supreme Court has stayed the verdict of the Allahabad High Court after initially refusing to entertain a petition challenging the said verdict. The high court’s ruling was based on the argument that an attempt to commit rape must go beyond mere preparation and demonstrate a “greater degree of determination”. The judicial order was disappointing.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,Faridabad
Pressure tactic
Sir — An alliance between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam seems to be in the offing to put up a joint fight against the ruling Dravidra Munnetra Kazhagam in the assembly elections in Tamil Nadu next year. The recent meeting between the Union home minister, Amit Shah, and the AIADMK chief, E. Palaniswami, has given legitimacy to the possibility of renewal of ties. But such an alliance would put the AIADMK in a tough spot, especially at a time when most southern states are rallying behind the DMK in its fight against the Centre’s three-language policy and proposed delimitation.
The Enforcement Directorate recently raided an AIADMK minister in a money laundering case. The question that should be asked is whether this was the BJP’s covert attempt to pressure the AIADMK into an alliance.
G. David Milton,Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Sustainable option
Sir — Prarthana Sen’s column, “Safety chain” (Mar 24), which dwelt on the menace of cycle theft in India, evoked certain nostalgic sentiments. Gone are the days of the Sixties and the Seventies when bicycles used to be a dominant form of transportation. Feature films of those times used to depict actors and actresses riding bicycles. Several prominent personalities, including Amartya Sen, are known for their preference to still ride bicycles.
Unfortunately, cycles have fallen out of use in recent years and little effort is being made to revive this eco-friendly and affordable two-wheeler. The government should take the initiative to popularise the use of bicycles to minimise air pollution and ensure a clean environment.
B.D. Chattopadhyay,West Burdwan
Big draw
Sir — A recent official estimation claiming that West Bengal has emerged as one of the top tourist destinations in the country is promising (“Come visit”, Mar 24). The schemes and policies implemented by the government, including the promotion of eco-tourism and sustainability, are probably the reasons behind the surge in the tourists’ footfall in the state.
Further, the government should promote offbeat destinations like Dumardari or Gorubathan and modernise the tourism infrastructure in these places.
Prasun Kumar Dutta,West Midnapore
Sir — The editorial, “Come visit”, raised a number of important questions surrounding Bengal tourism. While the number of tourists visiting the state has increased, the tourism infrastructure has not yet improved. Tourism has significant potential in the state due to its diverse attractions but faces challenges like infrastructure gaps and environmental concerns.
Jayanta Datta,Hooghly
