Not all fun and games
Sir — It is always good to indulge in some harmless fun on April Fools’ Day. At first glance, the artificial-intelligence-generated image of the Meta CEO, Mark Zuckerberg, as a fashion model or that of Pope Francis wearing a designer puffer jacket might fall into that category of harmless fun, but they give us food for thought about the dangerous implications of AI’s prowess. What if an artificially constructed video of our loved ones in danger was sent to us to extort money? The world is a better place as long as our idea of fun is to just put a toy gecko in a drawer for our friend to find on April 1.
Rajesh Mondal, Calcutta
Keep the peace
Sir — The untoward incidents that took place in Howrah during the Ram Navami procession should be unequivocally condemned (“Howrah ‘route shift’ and clash”, Mar 31). None has the right to foment communal tensions while leading a religious procession.
It must also be mentioned that some so-called secular leaders instigate the minority communities in West Bengal by promoting the idea of besiegement just so they can capture the entirety of the Muslim vote. The police should investigate the whole matter impartially.
Mrinal Kanti Kundu, Howrah
Fatal apathy
Sir — The tragedy that claimed the lives of at least 35 people at the Beleshwar Mahadev temple in Indore is reminiscent of the bridge collapse at Morbi, Gujarat, a few months ago. In both cases, the loss of lives occurred due to administrative negligence as the authorities did not conduct timely inspections to test the structural strength of the edifices in question. There were usual announcements of condolences and monetary compensation from political leaders, but nothing can make up for the lost lives.
Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee, Faridabad
New hope
Sir — Siyaya, one of the eight cheetahs introduced into Kuno National Park last year, has provided a priceless gift to India’s biodiversity (“Four cheetah cubs born in Kuno”, Mar 30). The fact that she has birthed four cubs is good news for those who were grieving the death of the female cheetah, Sasha. One hopes that India will soon have a healthy population of these big cats.
Kirti Wadhawan, Kanpur
Many meanings
Sir — The recent statement by C.V. Ananda Bose, the governor of West Bengal, that there ought to be no compromise on the freedom of speech is not exceptional in a democracy (“Freedom of speech support”, Mar 27). Curiously, his words have been interpreted differently by various political parties. While the Congress and the Left have appreciated his statement as a criticism of the attempts to stifle dissent after Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as a member of Parliament, the Bharatiya Janata Party has claimed that the remark condemns the Trinamul Congress.
Jahar Saha, Calcutta
Roadblocks
Sir — Calcutta deserves the sobriquet, ‘City of michhils’ (“Political rallies disrupt traffic”, Mar 30). Political rallies bring untold misery to patients going to hospitals, examinees heading to their examination centres and others going about their work. Roads remain blocked and long detours have to be taken. Political parties should keep in mind the difficulties common people face.
Amit Brahmo, Calcutta
Parting shot
Sir — There has been an alarming rise in Covid-19 cases recently. The problem can only be tackled if we take the necessary precautions. Masks should be made mandatory again.
Sudhir Kangutkar,Vangani, Maharashtra
