Spot the links
Sir — People who have grown up on a healthy diet of sci-fi action movies of the 1990s may be pinching themselves on hearing that Neuralink, the neurotechnology company owned by Elon Musk, has successfully implanted a wireless chip into a living human’s brain. But critics have justifiably warned against the potential misuse of such technology on the grounds of coercion and invasion of privacy. In this digital age, though, can anyone really keep his or her life veiled? Advertisements are already tailored to our preferences, YouTube ‘suggests’ videos to us based on an algorithm and our devices always know our locations. The Neuralink brain chip is no more alarming than the smartphones that have now flooded the market.
Ranjit Saha, Calcutta
Let loose
Sir — The 10-hour-long interrogation of the Rashtriya Janata Dal leader, Lalu Prasad, by officials of the Enforcement Directorate does not come as a surprise (“Day after, ED grills Lalu for 10 hours”, Jan 30). Following the recent formation of a National Democratic Alliance government in Bihar, the veteran politician and his family are back on the ED’s radar. A similar modus operandi is being followed in Jharkhand against the chief minister, Hemant Soren. Both leaders are trenchant critics of the Narendra Modi-led dispensation and members of the INDIA bloc.
Such tactics not only come as a setback for the RJD but also bolster the Bharatiya Janata Party’s hands before the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. It is ironic that the Republic Day parade featured a tableau proclaiming India as the ‘mother of democracy’ while such tactics are used against Opposition leaders.
Aayman Anwar Ali, Calcutta
Sir — The chief minister of Jharkhand, Hemant Soren, has been quizzed by officials from the ED in Ranchi in connection with allegations of money laundering in a land scam. It is unfortunate that harassing Opposition politicians has become the norm in India. State agencies and officials should be neutral in their actions.
J. Bhukkaredi, Hyderabad
Sir — The cat-and-mouse game being played by two political leaders — Arvind Kejriwal from the Aam Aadmi Party and Hemant Soren from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha — raises questions about their integrity. If they are not guilty of any misdeed, they should not be fearful of interrogation. Their refusal to turn up for quizzing repeatedly will ruin their image among voters. It is the moral responsibility of every politician to ensure transparency in governance. Kejriwal and Soren must promptly turn up before the ED and let the truth triumph.
Kirti Wadhawan, Kanpur
Reduce stress
Sir — It is natural for children to be competitive, whether on the playground or in academics. However, they must also learn to accept unexpected results (“Teach kids to accept defeat: School heads to parents”, Jan 30). Unfortunately, the desperation to score optimum marks in every examination has become more common. Constantly goaded by parents, such children commit suicide when they are unable to achieve the best results. The heads of schools have rightly advised parents to temper expectations and shun comparisons with other classmates.
Sanjit Ghatak, South 24 Parganas
Sir — It is a matter of grave concern that children nowadays only try to achieve a high rank to please their parents. Guardians are increasingly pushing their wards towards success in almost every field no matter what the collateral damage. Burdened by such high expectations, children derive no joy from learning and grow increasingly competitive. Parents should understand that children are not machines. Rather, they are like saplings that need to be nurtured with care. Children should be provided with appropriate psychological counselling and allowed to enjoy every aspect of their lives at a young age.
Ratan Kumar Halder, Calcutta
Sir — Students these days are under constant stress owing to the combined pressure of school, coaching classes and competitive examinations. This causes anxiety, fear and emotional trauma. For some students, the mental duress is too much to bear and they feel coerced into taking an extreme step like suicide. Parents must listen to their children to understand their troubles and guide them appropriately. A friendly and positive approach can work wonders to ensure children’s holistic development.
Abhilasha Gupta, Mohali
Sir — Since 2018, the prime minister, Narendra Modi, has participated in an annual exercise of interacting with students, teachers and parents across the country. However, the initiative does not seem to have had any effect on students’ well-being. They continue to battle the attendant pressures of competitive examinations. Children from the lower strata of society are most vulnerable to these mental hardships because academic success is considered to be the ticket to a better life. Instead of burdening the child with massive loans to fund insurmountable ambitions, parents must introspect and set the bar lower.
Bal Govind, Noida
Sweet success
Sir — The Belarusian tennis star, Aryna Sabalenka, deserves to be congratulated for clinching the Australian Open women’s singles title by defeating the Chinese player, Zheng Qinwen (“Sabalenka’s demolition run with flawless precision”, Jan 28). With this victory, Sabalenka became the first woman to defend her Australian Open title since Victoria Azarenka — her compatriot. Sabalenka mesmerised tennis lovers with her incredible performance, winning the tournament without dropping a single set.
Sourish Misra, Calcutta