More to be done

• Sir - It is heartening that Bolpur will have a new, modern university called Biswa Bangla University. But will this affect the maintenance of the older Visva-Bharati University? More important, what is to be done about the maintenance of Bolpur town itself? It is in dire need of better roads and more street lighting. It also requires reasonably-priced facilities for short stays along with food for visitors. Transport hubs must be set up at convenient places for moving around the town, as the bus services are dismal. There should be proper signs at crossings providing directions. Bolpur has the potential to be a world-class tourist attraction. If modern medical facilities are made available, senior citizens might feel encouraged to move there. Unfortunately, basic facilities have remained lacking all these years.

B.K. Nundee,
Calcutta

Rude shock

• Sir — Women in India are raped at an alarming frequency. The perpetrators deserve the harshest punishment, but they often manage to get away with light sentences or walk free. Recently, the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua shocked the entire nation. Now, to make matters worse, the new deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Kavinder Gupta, has termed the heinous incident " ek chhoti si baat" or 'a minor matter' ("Kathua knife twist: 'Chhoti si baat'", May 1). Not only was such a comment unwarranted, but it is shocking that a member of the political class thinks this way. These are the people tasked with ensuring that women and girls in India remain safe.

Sravana Ramachandran,
Chennai

• Sir — If the deputy chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir considers the rape and murder of a child a 'minor matter', then one shudders to think what would qualify as a serious matter for him. The crime in question shook the world so hard that international news outlets focused on it for weeks. Numerous countries highlighted the vulnerability of the girl child in India. Instead of offering solace to the bereaved family and promising to take steps to keep girl children safe, Kavinder Gupta trivialized the crimes. His comment reflects poorly on India.

H.N. Ramakrishna,
Michigan, US

• Sir — It was appalling to read that Kavinder Gupta termed the rape and murder in Kathua a 'minor matter'. Does he not understand the effect his words might have had on the family of the victim? Politicians must be held accountable not just for their actions, but also for their words.

Upasana Bhattacharya,
Calcutta

Firmly ensconced

• Sir — The editorial, "Deeper malaise" (May 2), rightly says that in India, "religion and politics often work hand in hand". At the same time, it is the secular nature of the Indian Constitution that has made it possible to send the likes of Asaram and Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh to jail for their crimes. There is nothing wrong with deities being worshipped, but godmen who exploit the people and prey on women in the name of religious devotion should not be allowed to roam free. Such people can also be prosecuted and imprisoned because of India's secular fabric.

Unfortunately, there has been a strident drive by politicians and religious leaders alike to banish the word, 'secular', from the Preamble of the Constitution. Two such people are the Union minister, Anantkumar Hegde, and the leader of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Praveen Togadia. Those opposed to the presence of the word in the Constitution rely on the flimsy excuse that it should not be there because it was not included in the original draft of the Constitution.

It is true that 'secular' was not in the Preamble when the Constituent Assembly adopted the Constitution on November 26, 1949, or when it came into effect on January 26, 1950. It was incorporated at the time of the 42nd amendment in 1976. However, it would be foolish to suggest that the ideals of secularism were not part of the original document. Articles 25 to 30 embody the spirit of secularism. Article 25 grants every citizen the "freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion". Article 25 (2) makes it clear that religion shall remain secondary to the State by clarifying that the right to religion does not "prevent the state from making any law" concerning the welfare of people. Moreover, according to Article 25 (2) (b), the State has the power to make a law to throw open Hindu religious institutions of a public character to all classes and sections of the Hindu community. These facts make it clear that the spirit of secularism has been a part of our Constitution since its inception. Proponents of Hindutva cannot change that.

Sujit De,
Calcutta

Strength matters

• Sir — The former Indian skipper, M.S. Dhoni, still has a lot to contribute to Indian cricket, as his performance for the Chennai Super Kings in the ongoing Indian Premier League tournament shows. In the match between CSK and the Royal Challengers Bangalore played at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Dhoni's knock of 70 runs off 34 balls proved that he can play in the World Cup next year. Dhoni is the only captain to have two different limited overs titles under his belt: the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 and the 50-overs World Cup in 2011. He took Indian cricket to new heights.

Haran Chandra Mandal,
North 24 Parganas

Poor showing

• Sir — The performance of Odias in the civil services examination has been rather disappointing and reflects poorly on the talent pool in the state. The results show that only a few people have qualified. Among them, just a handful have secured ranks worth mentioning. Experts believe that the poor performance of Odias is mainly on account of the fact that the curricula in educational institutions, including universities, have not been designed with an eye on such tests. As a result, students have to depend on coaching institutes. Most of these make tall claims about preparing students but do not deliver on their promises.Courses must be redesigned in Odisha's universities and colleges to meet the needs of students preparing for all-India examinations.

Harish Mishra,
Bhubaneswar

• Sir — Odisha has fallen behind in the race to top the coveted civil services examination. Over the years, the performance of candidates has left a lot to be desired. Around 15 candidates cracked the test this year. This accounts for only two per cent of the total number of successful candidates across the country.

There was a time when Odia boys and girls excelled in the Union Public Service Commission examination. But now the brightest of talents opt for either medicine or engineering. Consequently, there has been a drought in Odias excelling in the civil services test. The lack of interest among the Odia youth is the primary factor for the abysmal performance. Tough competition and uncertainty over tasting success have led aspiring candidates to shy away from civil services jobs. The Utkal University had opened a coaching and counselling centre for civil services aspirants but it shut down because of poor response.

Somesh Mohapatra,
Paradip

• Sir — The lack of consistency, disciplined approach and comprehensive knowledge of subjects are the main reasons for Odiya students not succeeding in the civil services exam. But it would not be wise to only blame the students. An outdated curriculum and the absence of guidance hamper their ability to compete with students from other states. College and university curricula must be modernized. The state government should also encourage students by providing facilities and incentives.

Monalisa Sahoo,
Bhubaneswar

• Sir — The poor performance of Odia students in the civil services examination this year - around two per cent of the total number of successful candidates are from the state - has, once again, raised questions about quality and preparedness of candidates from the state. It seems that Odisha's meritorious students are not interested in appearing for the test.

Anandjit Patnaik,
Cuttack

• Sir — Our students are under performing in national-level examinations. This is because Odisha's education system remains dated. Efforts must be made to amend the syllabi in school and college. The government has opened coaching centres but it is evident that the quality of teaching there is not up to the mark. Students and the government should try to improve the situation.

Priyaranjan Meher,
Sambalpur

Unruly roads

• Sir — It is good that the chief minister, Nitish Kumar, is taking road accidents seriously, even if it is after the Muzaffarpur accident in which nine school students lost their lives. Kumar has ordered the construction of underpasses, overbridges, zebra crossings and speed breakers on all new roads. But, most important, he has advocated stricter implementation of procedure while granting driving licences.

Most drivers pay scant attention to traffic rules. They do not wear safety belts, drive on the wrong side of the road and use mobile phones while driving. Such violations result in accidents. Licences should be revoked if a driver violates the rules frequently.

The state also needs a well-trained force to regulate traffic. The police often look the other way when autorickshaws stop in the middle of the road to let in or drop off passengers. On highways, truck drivers often block the road if another vehicle tries to get ahead. In such cases, a heavy penalty should be imposed on them.

D.K. Prasad,
Patna

Stay out

• Sir — The media paid too much attention to the engagement ceremony of Lalu Prasad's eldest son, Tej Pratap Yadav. It was pathetic to see the electronic media complaining that they were not allowed inside the hotel where the ring ceremony was taking place. The media should show more respect towards the privacy of a family. After all, they wished to keep the event a closed affair.

In recent years, the media have gone overboard while covering such events. The hype grabs the headlines. Consequently, important issues take a back seat.

Anjana Singh,
Patna