Letters to The Editor — April 1, 2026

War with Iran

With Spain denying the U.S. permission to use its airspace on account of the ‘war factor’, U.S. President Donald Trump is increasingly getting isolated in the war with Iran.. No other nation except Israel is with the U.S. in this illegal war. It is time for the United Nations to intervene and ensure that wiser counsel should prevail upon the U.S. of the futility in waging this imposed war.

A.V. Narayanan,

Chennai

Rupee’s steep fall

It is amusing that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has gone on record to state that the Indian rupee is doing “absolutely fine” thanks to robust economic fundamentals. Comparisons with peers such as the Thai Baht and Philippine Peso conveniently hides the fact that the rupee plunged 10.96% in FY 26, its deepest fall in 14 years, making it Asia’s worst performing currency. One cannot forget that the rupee was the only Asian currency to withstand the onslaught of the Asian currency crisis, in 1997, and remain stable against the dollar, when all other Asian currencies were in trouble. This was possible only due to the intelligent manner in which our currency was managed by the financial wizards who were at the helm of affairs.

Tharcius S. Fernando,

Chennai

The safety pin

This is no exaggeration, but the bonding that a safety pin has with clothing is much like a mother’s bond with her child (Open Page – “Ode to the safety pin”, March 29). Its brilliance lies in its versatility — mending, crafting, and emergency repairs. As a common practice, sterilised safety pins are used for removing thorns or splinters from the bottom of feet. In times of social and political unrest, it has been adopted as a symbol of unity, solidarity, and resistance. Its simple form and accessibility have made the safety pin a powerful tool for expressing collective sentiment.

R. Sivakumar,

Chennai

In Guwahati

Chennai Super Kings totally looked out of sorts in their first match of this edition of the Indian Premier League in Guwahati on Monday. That the team was all out for just 127 runs in 19.4 overs against Rajasthan Royals was deplorable indeed. Powered by lad Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Rajasthan Royals made it a one-sided contest.

S. Ramakrishnasayee,

Chennai