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Letters Debate Marriage Choices, Modi Celebrations and Space Weapons
One letter discusses how being an only child may affect whom people marry in China.
It says only children there may be more likely to marry other only children.
Other letters criticize large celebrations held for Narendra Modi’s birthday.
Some writers say the money and government effort should have gone to more urgent needs, including helping people affected by floods in Bihar.
One writer disagrees and praises Modi’s energy despite his age.
Several letters also discuss weapons in space.
They warn that American space weapons could encourage China, Russia and other countries to build more weapons.
The writers want countries to cooperate and create rules to prevent a space arms race.
A study cited in a letter says only children in China are 18.4% more likely to marry other only children.
Several writers criticized Bharatiya Janata Party celebrations of Narendra Modi’s 76th birthday as wasteful, especially during Bihar floods.
One letter praised Modi’s energy and commitment, arguing that age need not reduce his capacity for public work.
Writers warned that the United States of America’s deployment of on-orbit space-control weapons could trigger an arms race.
The letters argued that outer space should remain cooperative and that stronger international rules are needed for conventional weapons in orbit.
- Who
- Letter writers from India, the Bharatiya Janata Party, Narendra Modi, the United States of America, China and Russia are discussed.
- What
- The letters debate marriage patterns among only children, celebrations of Modi’s birthday, and the deployment and regulation of weapons in space.
- Where
- The issues concern China, India, Gujarat, Bihar, and outer space.
- When
- Narendra Modi’s birthday was marked on September 17; the letters do not specify when the cited marriage study or space-weapons deployment occurred.
- Why
- The writers are concerned about family-related marriage preferences, public spending and priorities, flooding relief, and the risk of an arms race in space.
Criticism and restraint
Defense and security
Modi’s birthday celebrations
Criticism and restraint
Several writers called the celebrations extravagant, wasteful or insensitive, saying resources should have been directed toward governance, flood relief, food, medicine and rehabilitation.
Defense and security
One writer said BJP governments combined the birthday with campaigns and welfare programmes and argued that Modi’s energy challenges stereotypes about ageing.
Modi’s political future
Criticism and restraint
One letter questioned whether Modi should make way for a younger prime minister, citing governance concerns in Bengal.
Defense and security
Another letter presented Modi’s continued enthusiasm and capacity for work as evidence that advancing age need not limit public leadership.
Weapons in space
Criticism and restraint
The letters warned that OOSCW deployment could provoke China, Russia and other countries, fuel an arms race, and turn space into a theatre of conflict.
Defense and security
The deployment was described as intended to protect American satellites, and one letter noted that international law does not expressly prohibit every conventional weapon in space.
Key facts
- Marriage finding
- The cited study says only children in China are 18.4% likelier to marry fellow only children.
- Birthday
- Narendra Modi turned 76 on September 17, according to one letter.
- Gujarat celebration
- One letter says Gujarat lit 76,000 lamps and held cultural events for Modi’s birthday.
- Flood impact
- A letter says nearly 50 lakh people across 15 districts in Bihar were affected by flooding, with thousands displaced.
- Space weapons
- The United States of America acknowledged deploying On-Orbit Space-Control Weapons, or OOSCW.
- Outer Space Treaty
- The 1967 Outer Space Treaty is described as banning weapons of mass destruction in orbit while not expressly prohibiting conventional orbital weapons.
- Competing views
- Most letters criticize the birthday celebrations and space militarization, while one writer praises Modi’s energy and public-service commitment.
Quotes
Norman Vincent Peale
American minister and author quoted by a letter writer.
“The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.”
telegraphindia.com









