Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Letters Reflect Sugar Prices, Viral Romance, Promises and Festive Traditions
Readers wrote letters about many different subjects in India.
One woman put thousands of lipstick kisses on a car to make a popular internet video.
The video became very popular, but traffic police fined the car’s owner and sent it to a police station for cleaning.
Other readers worried that sugar had become much more expensive before festivals.
They discussed possible reasons, including lower sugar production, ethanol-making, hoarding and speculation.
The government responded with limits on stored sugar and permission to import sugar without duty.
Some readers also disagreed about whether Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech was strong enough.
Finally, readers explained how Onam traditions such as Maveli and the sadya feast connect people with Kerala’s culture and nature.
A Gwalior woman reportedly covered her boyfriend’s car with about 3,400 kiss marks, gaining 5.5 million Instagram views before traffic police issued a Rs 5,500 challan.
Several writers said sugar prices had risen sharply ahead of the festive season, citing concerns about inflation, speculation, hoarding and ethanol production.
The Centre imposed stockholding limits and permitted duty-free sugar imports, while one letter said relief may come after the new crushing season begins in mid-October.
Readers debated Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech, describing it variously as insufficiently ambitious or as appropriately focused on domestic responsibilities.
Letters on Onam described Maveli performances and the sadya feast as ways of preserving cultural traditions and expressing gratitude to nature.
- Who
- Letters to the editor writers, a woman in Gwalior, traffic police, the Centre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and people celebrating Onam are discussed.
- What
- The letters address a viral car-kissing incident, rising sugar prices and government measures, views on an Independence Day speech, and Onam traditions.
- When
- The car incident was described as recent; sugar concerns were linked to July, August 20, and the approaching festive season; cheaper sugar was anticipated after mid-October.
- Where
- The subjects concern India, including Gwalior, Kerala and several cities named by the letter writers.
- Why
- The writers discuss social-media attention, rising household costs, government accountability, domestic priorities and the preservation of festive culture.
Critical and concerned views
Supportive or alternative views
Sugar prices and government policy
Critical and concerned views
Writers blamed or questioned the government over inflation, inadequate stocks, possible hoarding and speculation, and the diversion of sugarcane to ethanol under the E20 blending policy.
Supportive or alternative views
The Centre’s stated response, as described in the letters, included stockholding restrictions and duty-free imports; one writer expected conditions to improve when the next crushing season starts.
Narendra Modi’s Independence Day speech
Critical and concerned views
One writer called the speech lacklustre and said slogans such as ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ and ‘Viksit Bharat’ remained unrealized promises; another criticized its silence on Pakistan and wider international issues.
Supportive or alternative views
Another writer viewed the speech’s emphasis on the government’s domestic responsibilities as a redeeming and definitive feature, while also describing the article discussing it as somewhat self-contradictory.
Public displays of affection and tradition
Critical and concerned views
The car-kissing letter suggested that real love does not require elaborate public displays designed for viral attention.
Supportive or alternative views
The Onam letters presented public Maveli performances and the sadya feast as meaningful cultural practices that help transmit tradition and express gratitude to nature.
- Viral car incident
- A woman reportedly left around 3,400 kiss marks on her boyfriend’s car in Gwalior.
- Social-media reach
- The resulting Instagram reel crossed 5.5 million views.
- Traffic penalty
- The car’s owner received a Rs 5,500 challan and had to scrub off the lipstick marks.
- Sugar measures
- The Centre imposed tighter stockholding limits, shortened inventory-holding periods and allowed duty-free imports.
- Reported sugar prices
- Letters cited prices rising from Rs 48 in July to more than Rs 55 on August 20, with another writer reporting prices above Rs 65 per kilogramme.
- Expected sugar relief
- One letter said cheaper sugar may become more likely after the new crushing season begins in mid-October.
- Onam traditions
- Letters highlighted Maveli performances and the sadya feast as important parts of Kerala’s cultural and festive life.