Apropos of ‘Modi govt’s cultural ambition’ (The Great Game); can the construction of museums help in tapping the nation’s biggest asset, the demographic dividend? Can it generate adequate employment, ensure inclusion, ameliorate the lot of small and medium businesses, boost the economy and the manufacturing sector? Several people died after consuming contaminated water in ‘Smart City’ Indore recently and over 250 were killed in a plane crash in Ahmedabad last year, but have the double-engine governments in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat taken suitable measures to avert recurrence of such tragedies? Is there any accountability?
PK Sharma, Barnala
Blowing the cultural trumpet
With reference to ‘Modi govt’s cultural ambition’; the Yuge Yugeen Bharat is a cultural trumpet disguised as a museum and it’s a distraction when real India is still waiting for jobs, schools, and hospitals. Officially, it inspires national pride, but unofficially, its soft-power engineering rewriting history, glorifying Hindu nationalism and mainstreaming Sangh ideology under the pretext of maintaining cultural heritage. Curators cherrypick golden ages, erase caste violence and whitewash contributions of Muslims, Sikhs and Dalits. Museums don’t fix hunger. Even if the exhibit is stunning, it won’t fill empty stomachs or create jobs. Real change needs factories, not frescoes.
Capt Amar Jeet (retd), Kharar
Fight hidden agendas
Refer to ‘Our universities are losing their creative vitality’; when political powers prioritise indoctrination over inquiry, free expression becomes the first casualty. Furthermore, the mushrooming of private players has transformed these centres of wisdom into marketing houses obsessed with profit and loss. Administrative glitches and coercive mechanisms have no place where curious minds seek truth. Ideas should sprout as naturally as leaves on a tree. We must fight the hidden agendas that muzzle creative aspirations. We need creative solutions to protect our universities as sanctuaries for hassle-free exchange of ideas.
Rakesh Mohan Sharma, Pathankot
China’s expansionist tendency
Apropos of ‘China’s renewed interest in Shaksgam valley’; issues between India and China date back to the British era. After independence, India made efforts to resolve Sino-Indian boundary dispute which continued at various levels including military and diplomatic conferences. Even the platforms of G20, BRICS and SCO were used to find solutions. But China has been strengthening its infrastructure, defences and communication lines to augment its policy of expansionism. At present, China is focusing on Shaksgam valley for easy access to Skardu for pursuing economic and strategic interests.
Subhash Vaid, New Delhi
Women good at stress busting
Apropos of ‘Students’ well-being’; educational institutions can follow the lead of the recently proposed initiative at IIT Kharagpur, where women on campus, faculty and staff, are prepared to guide students facing emotional pressure, which is a brilliant idea. Though it is a gender-neutral issue, for ages, women have played a crucial role in providing mental health support and a source of emotional support, both for other women and for men. Women often form strong social networks and provide a sense of community, along with being skilled at empathetic listening that is beneficial for mental well-being.
Vaibhav Goyal, Chandigarh
Councillors will have to deliver
It refers to ‘Maha success’; Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation is the richest municipal body in India. The BJP will take control of Mumbai for the first time in BMC’s history. Issues like monsoon flooding, infrastructure collapse and garbage-strewn beaches need serious attention. The elected councillors will carry the burden of huge expectations and they don’t have any choice but to deliver on tall promises.
Bal Govind, Noida
