What lies beneath

Sir — Whoever knew that so much research went into the making of the bra or that 70 per cent of British women silently suffer the American ‘alphabet’ formula devised in 1935 (“Found: Formula for the perfect bra fit”, July 24)? Hopefully, the Hong Kong think-tank will be able to provide comfort to them. The piece was educative for people like me, who thought bras came in three types: Politician bras, to make mountains out of mole- hills; Welfare bras, to provide a lift to the sinking ones; and Dictator bras, to suppress the ‘masses’.

Yours faithfully,
Md. Aslam Parvez, Calcutta

Just deserts?

Sir — There is no doubt that Shyam Kaushal’s rape and murder of a helpless deaf-mute woman was a heinous crime. The fact that the woman was HIV+ does not in any way lessen the degree of his crime. However, Kaushal deserved to be treated with greater humaneness by the police, the NGOs and social workers. Although intercourse with an HIV+ person does not lead to immediate infection, yet Kaushal needed urgent counselling and medical checks. The response, or the lack of it, of the NGOs who get huge funds from abroad in the name of controlling HIV/AIDS infections was nothing less than shocking. The refusal to provide medical care to Kaushal while he felt sick was downright cruel. They should have left the job of punishing Kaushal to the judiciary. How could the additional superintendent of police claim that medical tests were not relevant to the case and ask Kaushal to get himself tested if he managed to get bail (knowing full well that he never can). The court as well as senior police officers ought to rebuke the ASP for his shameful conduct.

Yours faithfully,
Govind Das Dujari, Calcutta

Sir — Sensational reports like “AIDS panic grips rapist” (July 9) serve no purpose at all. Recent data on AIDS released by the Central health ministry reveals that the number of AIDS-afflicted people has come down from 53 lakh to 25 lakh. The awareness programmes of the National AIDS Control Organization and the various state organizations are not behind this. It has to do with the fact that HIV is not the cause of the disease called AIDS, as eminent virologist Peter Duesberg has shown. He has been supported by Nobel laureate scientists like Kary Mullis. But the connection between the virus and the disease has sustained the flourishing industry of contraceptives, syringes, AIDs test kits and AIDS drugs. The main centres of this trade are in India and Africa. Shyam Kaushal will be glad to know that he may not end up having AIDS.

Yours faithfully,
Satya Mitra, Durgapur

Sir — It serves a criminal like Shyam Kaushal right to find out that the girl he raped and killed was HIV+. Why is he asking for consideration from the police officers when he did not care to show the same to his victim? This is a lesson from higher forces to dissuade men committing rape and murder.

Yours faithfully,
T.R. Anand, Calcutta

Parting shot

Sir — The administrators of the Sri Krishna temple at Guruvayur, Kerala, must be thanked for taking the decision of permitting entry to women wearing churidars. The next logical step would be to allow men to enter the temple wearing trousers. Other temples in Kerala should follow suit. It would be a bonus if they removed the ban on the entry of non-Hindus too.

Yours faithfully,
C.V.K. Moorthy, Calcutta