Letters to The Editor — February 6, 2026

The cover story

What a sad commentary it is on how Parliament’s time is squandered on unproductive debates over books. The Leader of the Opposition suddenly raises an issue over a former Army Chief’s book, stalled by the Defence Ministry for opaque reasons. In response, ruling party MPs theatrically brandish books whose contents have long been in the public domain. As someone who has spent a lifetime in publishing, I expected Parliament to confront a far graver anomaly: GST on books. While books are ‘exempt’, every input — paper, printing, logistics, freelance honoraria, and author royalties — attracts GST. Publishers cannot claim input tax credit or seek refunds, effectively turning GST into a hidden tax.

With costs rising relentlessly, this policy quietly penalises knowledge creation while Parliament argues over dust jackets.

N. Nagarajan,

Secunderabad

The online age

It was shocking to read the report on three minor girls ending their lives in Uttar Pradesh due to the restrictions their parents had imposed on them on the use of mobile phones (Front page, February 5). We find that many children cast their pens or pencils aside and are content with being immersed in their mobile phones. Letter writing is an alien concept.

Internet ‘addiction’ in children is an important issue that needs to be tackled as it is affecting the mental health of young people. Our youth must have creative pastimes and an active lifestyle that involves outdoor games.

A.J. Rangarajan,

Chennai