Take it easy, Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is undoubtedly a mass leader and an able administrator. But her nose-in-the-air attitude is an Achilles’ heel (‘State of worry’, May 24). Her sense of infallibility and hope of scoring over the Centre have contributed to her clumsy management of the pandemic. A bunch of the bureaucracy, which is fawning on her, has played a major role in creating a disquieting situation.
Raveendranath A.,
On email.
I do not understand what Mamata gains by hiding Covid-19 cases in West Bengal. If she has any love for her state, she should not be doing that.
The BJP should also refrain from playing politics during the pandemic. Both these parties should not take the people of the state for a ride.
Tapesh Nagpal,
On email.
Your cover story forewarns what is in store in West Bengal. When instructions of the ICMR and the Central health ministry are followed in total by all state governments, they are viewed with suspicion by the West Bengal government, thereby leading to laxity in implementation.
The virus has rapidly spread its tentacles across the state, causing havoc. The need of the hour in West Bengal is to have a visionary statesmanship, to guide the destiny of hapless migrant returnees.
Parthasarathy Mandadi,
On email.
The slugfest between the Centre and West Bengal, against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, not only put lives at risk, but also makes resurrection of socio-economic activities all the more foggy. In the blame-game between the Centre and West Bengal, it is the people who are suffering.
Both the BJP and the TMC have their eyes fixed in the state elections due next year. If politics starts dictating every move, even in such grave crises, the pawns are sacrificed.
Vijai Pant,
On email.
Constant grief
If we have to single out one section of society which has been the worst hit by the lockdown necessitated by the Covid pandemic, it would be the migrant labourers (‘Home truths’, May 24).
Heart-wrenching reports by the media about the plight of these innocents forced governments to spring into action. Some lost their lives on the way. Others exhausted their meagre savings and, in few cases, their own villages did not welcome them, thanks to the stigma of Covid-19.
The lockdown proved that it is not just labour which is ‘dirt cheap’ in the country, but also a labourer’s life.
Kamna Chhabra,
Gurugram.
Wide of the mark
Your report on the mass failure of women cadets in the Army seems to be motivated and full of inaccuracies (‘Mean manoeuvre’, May 24).
The training staff puts in very long hours, outside scheduled training, to make sure that maximum cadets complete training successfully and get commissioned as officers. Failure would incur additional expenditure to the exchequer to cater for additional time and resources required for imparting additional training to the individual. Additionally, in accordance with laid-down process, verbal and written warnings of possible relegation/withdrawal are issued at multiple stages of training to those cadets not meeting the physical training criteria.
For cases your reporter has mentioned, all entitled attempts, including two additional opportunities, were given. The judgment of the Supreme Court was never a factor impinging on either the qualifying standards or the tests.
Gentlemen cadets are subject to the same rules and have also failed to make the grade. Therefore, insinuation of gender bias is unfair. Physical tests are precise in terms of criterion—you either pass or fail.
Your reporter has cleverly used the data from the last couple of batches to create a false narrative, and there seems to be a possibility that this report is authored at the behest of some individuals looking to benefit from the sensationalism.
He has clearly misquoted Army headquarters to support his false narrative. Lieutenant General Bobby Mathew (retd), in response to a query by this office, has confirmed that his remarks have been misrepresented grossly.
The Army takes strong objections to publication of this article which attempts to promote the view of a patriarchal army which is heavily gender-biased. The Army is deeply committed to implementing the Supreme Court judgment of February 17, 2020, in letter and spirit. A working group, under an Army Commander, is looking closely at evolving a matrix for quick and smooth implementation.
Col Aman Anand,
PRO (Army).
As a defence correspondent, I have high regard for the Army. I have done several stories highlighting the achievements of the Army. Hence, there is no mala fide intent behind my story.
The basic point of my story is that, for the first time in 28 years (since women were allowed to serve in the Army), there has been a mass failure of women cadets. I have mentioned it as an ‘aberration’. When this happened immediately after the Supreme Court judgment, and never before, several serving and retired male and female officers expressed concern. My story articulated that concern.
While gathering information, I had checked with the Army headquarters. Their response to my query is given in the report. Your rebuttal does not deny my basic point—of a mass failure of women cadets in the physical tests. Nowhere in the story did I make insinuation of gender bias.
I fail to understand why the Army has not initiated any inquiry into the matter.
Pradip Sagar,
Special Correspondent.