Letters to the Editor

IT sector

THE mass retrenchment in the IT sector is undesirable (Cover Story, June 23). While acknowledging the sea change IT is undergoing, the resource-rich IT giants should think about utilising their human resources in alternative ways. With the recent changes in the requirements for the H-1B visa likely to affect their prospects, the IT giants have become jittery. Let them not forget that their empire expanded through the efforts of their employees.

C. Chandrasekaran, Madurai, Tamil Nadu

ALTHOUGH the Indian IT industry, the employer of millions of people, is not on an irretrievable slippery slope, it is facing a dismaying downturn. The Cover Story showed that the “Trump factor” was only the proverbial straw on the camel’s back. Robotic process automation, artificial intelligence, cloud storage, specific nature of India’s IT prowess, and so on have contributed to the slowdown. It seems that the IT industry’s “hire and fire” policy, almost an accepted norm for the sector, has been replaced by the intimidating practice of “scare and fire”.

Ayyasseri Raveendranath, Aranmula, Kerala

Cow slaughter

SELF-STYLED cow vigilantes are taking the law into their own hands in the name of cow protection and spreading mayhem and panic among farmers, traders and others (“In the name of cattle protection”, June 23).The notification banning the sale of cows for slaughter will increase sectarian violence, and there will be further communal polarisation, which is what Hindutva activists are really after. Since Yogi Adityanath became the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, these vigilante groups have become more aggressive and there are periodic assaults on innocent people across the country.

N.C. Sreedharan, Kannur, Kerala

THE notification appears to be unilateral and against the federal structure of the Constitution. Cattle owners sell their unproductive animals and buy new ones using the proceeds of the sale. The sale of cattle is essential for leather units and other industries, which will be in crisis if the sale of cattle stops. There will be an impact on States’ revenue earnings. Although the Centre is authorised to issue any notification it chooses to, it cannot force State governments to implement them. It needs to keep the federal structure of the country in mind. In the instant case, the correct procedure was not followed. “Gau rakshaks”, reportedly enjoying the patronage of the ruling dispensation, are being overzealous in this matter.

Jayant Mukherjee, Kolkata

Justice Karnan

THE misdemeanours of Justice C.S. Karnan are condemnable (Cover Story, June 9). But the Supreme Court’s order convicting and sentencing him was against the principles of natural justice and was nothing but an exercise of jurisdiction that is not vested in the court.

The gag order against the press was an assault on the freedom of speech and expression. One Justice Karnan cannot shake people’s confidence in the Supreme Court. But the court’s knee-jerk reaction certainly did shake people’s confidence in the higher judiciary. The collegium system needs to be replaced with a transparent system to ensure that the Karnans of this world cannot don the robe of judges.

Purushuttam Roy Barman, Agartala

Caste violence

THE atrocities perpetrated on Dalits in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, was both shocking and disturbing and made me wonder whether we are really in the computer age (“Targeting Dalits”, June 9). Such well-orchestrated attacks can be attributed to the growing antipathy and intolerance of vested interests towards social and political empowerment of Dalits and are a grim pointer to the entrenchment of caste prejudices in society. The lackadaisical attitude of the State administration and the law enforcement agencies in dealing with the perpetrators of the crime added insult to injury.

Amendments to the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act that would accord stringent punishment to the perpetrators of such heinous acts would go a long way in serving as an effective deterrent. A country cannot aspire to be a superpower if its marginalised and underprivileged sections are perennially discriminated against and oppressed.

B. Suresh Kumar, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu

Feluda

I FEEL happy that Feluda is still well remembered (“Ray’s alter ego”, June 9). I have read all the Feluda stories. It was so good to read them, and it is truly sad that there are no new Satyajit Ray stories to read.

Madhav Rahul B., Cherthala, Kerala

Islam

TODAY, there is a fundamental misunderstanding of Islam in the world (“Facets of political Islam”, June 9). There was a need for a book that would bring out the real facets of the Islamic character and the dirty hands of Wahhabian extremists. I believe that Fazzur Rahman Siddiqui’s work on political Islam will serve both these purposes well.

Muhammed Shibil V., Koduvally, Kerala