Letters to the Editor: Bhutan-India Ties

Bhutan-India ties

Your Sunday, March 24 editorial 'A unique bond' has rightly emphasized India's strong commitment to maintaining friendly ties with neighbouring countries, except with Pakistan and China. The conferring of Bhutan's highest civilian award to PM Narendra Modi during his recent visit to the Himalayan Kingdom has once again proved that both India and Bhutan are deeply interested in strengthening bilateral relations between the countries, characterized by trust, goodwill, and mutual understanding at all levels. It is absolutely true that the deeper India's relations are with Bhutan, the more it will prevent China from establishing close ties with the latter. It is well understood that if any settlement is reached between China and Bhutan on Doklam, there will be security implications for India, as this plateau is close to the strategically important Siliguri Corridor. Therefore, the back-to-back visits of the leaders of both countries are the need of the hour to keep China at bay.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati

Poor Anna

Some years ago, Anna Hazare, a very simple social worker, was also regarded as a crusader against corruption. While acting as a crusader against corruption, he always maintained a low profile. It was only due to his non-violent way of crusading against corruption that the then-Delhi government under Sheila Dixit was dislodged from power. In that process, he became the mentor of Kejriwal, who later became the CM of Delhi, riding high on corruption committed by Sheila Dixit. But very sadly, of late, Kejriwal has surpassed Sheila Dixit in matters of corruption. Recently, in a press conference, poor Anna Hazare openly condemned Kejriwal for his misdeeds as CM of Delhi. As a tax-paying, bona fide Indian, I feel that Anna Hazare has created a ‘Frankenstein’ of corruption, and I do pity Annaji, the crusader against corruption, for his gross mistake. CMs like the late J. Jayalalitha, Lalu Yadav, Shibu Soren, and Arvind Kejriwal are the symbols of corruption.

Lanu Dutt Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Teachers and their dresses

Some time back, the Assam government banned “flashy" dresses for teachers in higher education, saying they were indecent. A few days ago, the Maharashtra government introduced a dress code for school teachers, disallowing them to sport t-shirts, jeans, and shirts with designs. Men should wear trousers and shirts that are tucked in, the government declared.  The government resolution added that the colour of shirts should be light and the colour of trousers should be dark, and not the other way around. Female teachers can wear saris or dresses like salwars, churidars, kurtas, and dupattas.  The exact colour of the dresses has been left to the discretion of the institutions. Hearteningly, teachers can now use the prefix "tr," similar to "dr" and "adv" for doctors and advocates, respectively.

There has always been a debate with regards to "appropriate dress" for some specific professionals, including teachers. It is argued that a dress should look good, decent, and sober. No professional is expected to dress shabbily, more so the teachers who are held in high esteem. The common man looks at them with respect and hope. As has been reported in various articles and journals, a professional is more confident and proactive in neat and formal dress.  A good dress should be comfortable for the teacher and the student as well. Teachers are expected to create a comfortable classroom environment. And an acceptable dress goes a long way towards achieving that objective.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

(gbhat13@gmail.com)