Cold comfort
Sir — The refrigerator might not seem like a potent feminist tool, but its role in freeing women from the confines of the kitchen cannot be overstated. Once food could be cooked in bulk and stored in the refrigerator, women no longer had to be home cooking numerous meals each day. But food that is cooked and frozen is often vilified as unhealthy, although there is no scientific evidence to support this fact. It was thus encouraging to read the article, “Cook and Cool” (Nov 29), which revealed that starchy food like rice and pasta might actually be healthier to consume after it has been frozen. This knowledge will make tucking into a delicious bowl of leftover pasta at night that much more comforting.
Smita Chakraborty, Calcutta
All guns blazing
Sir — The Union home minister, Amit Shah, trained his guns on the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamul Congress government in West Bengal at recent political rally in the state (“Shah fills in central fund sums”, Nov 30). But his claims do not hold water. How is it possible that the TMC won the 2021 assembly elections in the state through rigging and, yet, the Bharatiya Janata Party’s seat share went up to 77 from 7? Shah urged Bengal to vote massively in favour of the BJP. Bengalis would do well to remember that the government led by Narendra Modi continues to starve the state of funds and yet extracts its share of revenue in a timely manner.
Shah also accused Bengal of being underdeveloped. West Bengal is a part of the country where his party is in power. So the blame for its underdevelopment lies as much with the Centre as it does with the state government. It is easier to hurl accusations than it is to introspect.
Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta
Sir — The Congress must step up its game in Bengal. Amit Shah’s recent rallies and speeches cannot be allowed to go unchallenged. People are unhappy with the current dispensation in the state. The Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, must thus make his presence felt in the state. This is the only way to stop the BJP from making inroads.
Asim Boral, Calcutta
Sir — Mahua Moitra is far superior to Amit Shah, both as a politician and as a parliamentarian (“Shah trains guns on Mahua”, Nov 30.) She is not only known for her oratorical skills but also has sound knowledge on diverse subjects. Her presence in Parliament often puts BJP leaders in a tight spot. This is precisely why the BJP wants to get rid of her by all means.
Arun Gupta, Calcutta
Sir — If Amit Shah is hoping that the saffron landslide in the heartland will be replicated in the general elections, especially in West Bengal, he will be disappointed. Telangana and, before that, Karnataka, are proof that not all electorates can be eyewashed into voting along religious lines.
Piyush Somani, Guwahati.
Princely discourse
Sir — Speaking at the Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture, the cricketing legend, Brian Lara, lauded the legacies of Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli (“Lara bats for Kohli’s legacy of discipline & dedication”, Dec 1). Lara’s observations about some other cricketing stars like Sunil Gavaskar and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi revealed that he is as bold in life as he was in the game.
Jayanta Datta, Hooghly
Sir — Each word spoken by Brian Lara at the Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture is worth remembering (“Laughter, tears and a Great”, Dec 1). Lara knows first-hand the dedication and the hard work it takes to become the best in the world. Young and aspiring cricketers should thus pay close heed to his advice. It is unfortunate that his national team, the West Indies, has had several poor showings recently. One hopes Lara is able to inspire the current generation of West Indian players too.
Bal Govind, Noida
Sir — Brian Lara’s speech at the Tiger Pataudi Memorial Lecture struck an elegant balance between the past and the present of cricket. He praised several cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar and Virat Kohli. But, seemingly, said little about Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, in whose honour the lecture is held. Perhaps the speech could have been enriched further by shedding light on the life of Tiger Pataudi.
Murtaza Ahmad, Calcutta
Futile pursuit
Sir — The article, “Fame fanaticism” (Dec 1), by T.M. Krishna was introspective. Krishna is the perfect person to warn people about the pitfalls of fame being a celebrity himself. The point about needing to strike a balance between the aesthetic and the commercial and between artistic depth and mindless populism was significant as well.
Sukhendu Bhattacharjee, Hooghly
Sir — There is nothing wrong with desiring to be famous — one cannot perhaps achieve greatness without such a desire. But to want to bask in someone else’s fame by taking a selfie with celebrities makes little sense. T.M. Krishna rightly says that craving to be in the company of the famous makes people negligent towards other, important matters.
Sanjit Ghatak, Calcutta
