Speak well

• Sir - The vice-president of India, Venkaiah Naidu, recently remarked at a public event that English is an illness left behind by the British. He further added that it is not possible to progress in the country without the Hindi language. No one can deny that Hindi is spoken by a large segment of the population. However, the increasing tendency of the Centre to champion the cause of Hindi might antagonize those who speak other languages. Also, there is no reason to discredit English; the language has helped in integrating the nation.

Anisuzzaman Chowdhury,

Calcutta

Disruptive tactics

• Sir - It seems that the main Opposition party in India, the Congress, and its allies are less concerned about the plight of the aam aadmi and more interested in exhibiting their new-found unity to the public. Otherwise, they would not have called a Bharat bandh ("Cong calls Monday bandh on petrol", Sept 7). The daily-wage earners are the worst affected during any bandh day. In the name of protest, bandh supporters vandalized petrol pumps, blocked roads and even attacked school buses. An ailing two-year-old girl lost her life in the Jehanabad district of Bihar, after the vehicle in which she was travelling got stuck.

The leaders of the Congress could have organized meetings and seminars. They could have even discussed the matter with the government and suggested ways to bring down the prices of petrol and diesel. Instead, they chose to play petty politics over the issue.

Mihir Kanungo,

Calcutta

• Sir - The Bharat bandh called by the Congress and a few other Opposition parties affected normal life in many states. The parties were protesting against the steep rise in petrol prices in recent months.

The bandh almost brought the state of Kerala to a halt. This was not surprising, given that both the Left Democratic Front and the United Democratic Front supported the strike. Most shops and commercial establishments remained closed and vehicles kept off the roads. Attendance in offices was also negligible. One wonders how long such disruptive politics will hold sway in Kerala.

K.A. Solaman,

Alappuzha, Kerala

• Sir - Last week's bandh affected daily life in several parts of the country. In spite of that, people willingly supported the bandh. This should make the Centre understand that the situation is going out of hand. It must ponder the reason why people are feeling compelled to protest. The Union government should reduce taxes on fuel prices and let people heave a sigh of relief.

Abdur Rauf,

Mumbai

Spend wisely

• Sir - The chief minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, announced recently that the administration will provide a dole of Rs 10,000 each to the 28,000 community Puja committees in the state (" Bajaar down, Didi's dole lifts Puja spirits", Sept 11). She also waived various licence fees for the committees. Further, Banerjee declared that the number of participants at the Red Road Puja carnival will go up to 75 this time from last year's 55.

Given that the state government keeps asking the Centre for a special financial package, the decision to spend such a large amount on a festival is rather perplexing. One suspects that these steps have been taken to augment political support for the ruling Trinamul Congress before next year's general elections. Banerjee's desire to cling to power is adversely affecting the economic health of Bengal.

Asit Kumar Mitra,

Calcutta

• Sir - The move of the Mamata Banerjee-led government to provide financial aid to Puja committees is welcome. Durga Puja is an important festival in Bengal which brings together people of all faiths. Moreover, the festivities provide livelihood to lakhs of people.

The grant has been described as an example of "competitive communalism" by the Communist Party of India (Marxist). But one can expect no better from the CPI(M). In the past, the Left has often surrendered meekly to communal forces. It has thus lost the right to accuse others of playing communal politics.

R. Sambamurthy,

Calcutta

True legend

• Sir - Alastair Cook, the most successful left-handed batsman in Test cricket, ended his career on a high note. He scored a century in his last Test. Incidentally, he made a hundred on his debut against the same opponents, India. He, therefore, became only the fifth person in history to score a century in both his maiden and final Tests. But apart from his exploits on the field, Cook is also known for his gentle demeanour. It is for people like him that cricket is still called a gentleman's game.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,

Faridabad

• Sir - The retirement of the former English skipper, Alastair Cook, marks the end of an era in international cricket. Cook will be best remembered for his superb performance against India in India in 2012, when he led his team from the front to defeat the hosts 2-1 in the Test series. His retirement will leave a huge void in the English team.

Murali Bharat,

Asansol