Sudden exposure

Sir — Surveillance versus privacy has been a topic of raging debate since the arrest of the co-founder of Telegram and the banning of X in Brazil. Adding fuel to the fire, the Australian prime minister, Anthony Albanese, recently said that his government will ban teenagers from accessing social media. The idea behind this — the need to protect youngsters from cyber threats before they are mature enough to understand the perils of social media — is laudable. But children would benefit more from gradually learning to use the internet while being monitored rather than dealing with a sudden exposure to social media later in life.

Rakhi Saha, Calcutta

Home fires

Sir — The recent flare-up of violence in Manipur indicates that contrary to the claims made by the Centre and the state government, normalcy is yet to return to the region (“Kuki ex-soldier killed on Meitei turf”, Sept 10). The tension can escalate into riots again if the situation is not addressed urgently. The Centre must make sure that the territorial integrity of Manipur is maintained.

The chasm between the Kuki-Zo people and the Meiteis has deepened. The indifference of the government has cost Manipur numerous lives and led to the mass displacement of people. It is ironic that followers of the prime minister, Narendra Modi, claim that he can stop international wars while he remains incapable of solving domestic problems.

Khokan Das, Calcutta

Sir — Manipur has relapsed into ethnic skirmishes, once again. Narendra Modi has done precious little to solve the burning issues plaguing the state. Even as Manipur sees a resurgence of communal violence, incidents of cow vigilantism have started recurring in other states. Modi must now turn his attention away from international tours to douse the fires at home.

Avinash Godboley, Dewas, Madhya Pradesh

Sir — Restoring law and order requires more than just promises. The government must bring the situation in Manipur under control by cracking down on extremist groups. The demand for a separate administration is unjustified. The state and the Central government must promptly take ameliorative steps.

C.K. Jayanthi, Chennai

Sir — The government must oppose the demand for a separate administration in Manipur. The Bharatiya Janata Party government in Manipur should stop spreading its divisive propaganda in the state before it is too late.

Fakhrul Alam, Calcutta

Sir — Despite tall claims by the BJP-led government, violence has become normalised in the country. Terrorist activities, internal strife, riots and looting have been occuring unabated in India. However, Manipur’s problem has acquired an important dimension with the usage of rockets and drones by the extremists. This is an issue of national security. Instead of shifting the blame on the erstwhile Congress government, the Centre needs to get a grip on the situation. The BJP government has been vocal in demanding the resignation of chief ministers of states that are ruled by Opposition parties. What happens to such a demand when it comes to states under its own rule?

Jang Bahadur Singh, Jamshedpur

Sir — New Delhi has shown little interest in addressing the socio-political tensions in Manipur. The state has been left to fend for itself. Charity should begin at home. Instead of trying to broker peace between other nations, the Centre would do well to mitigate domestic troubles.

R. Narayanan, Navi Mumbai

Economic woes

Sir — People in West Bengal have decided not to celebrate Durga Puja on a grand scale this year owing to the rape and murder of a young doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital (“Weavers’ woes: Protests take a toll on Puja sari sales”, Sept 9). This can cause a loss of nearly 35 crore for several traders. In spite of this, the solidarity shown with the victim is commendable. The West Bengal government must clean up its act. The chief minister, Mamata Banerjee, seems unmoved by people’s plight.

M.C. Vijay Shankar, Chennai

Sir — Many Durga Puja committees in West Bengal have returned the state government’s financial aid. This is a protest against the government’s continued inaction regarding women’s safety in Bengal. However, this has caused problems for dhaakis. Several committees are choosing not to hire dhaakis and going for a small-scale celebrations instead. The loss of livelihood for the dhaakis is a serious concern. The Puja organising committees should consider hiring dhaakis by cutting down on other ritualistic expenditures.

Shyamal Thakur, East Burdwan

Sir — Durga Puja generates a trade of nearly 40,000 crore. However, this year, owing to the ongoing protests, wholesalers and retailers will face severe economic setbacks. The protestors should consider this.

Pratima Manimala, Howrah