Lost charm
Sir — Social media has become an inextricable part of our lives. The 21st century saw a meteoric rise in the popularity of platforms like Facebook and Twitter, both of which have a significant number of young users. But nothing lasts forever and the attraction of social media seems to be fading. Recently, Meta lost a chunk of daily users for the first time since its inception. Many young people are disenchanted with Facebook owing to the spread of misinformation and hate speech. Has Mark Zuckerberg’s futuristic Metaverse, then, failed to incorporate the voice of its primary stakeholders?
Swapna Ghosh,
Calcutta
Bold words
Sir — The Congress leader, Rahul Gandhi, spoke truth to power during the debate on the motion of thanks to the president’s address to Parliament (“The king & master”, Feb 3). In his speech, Rahul attacked the flawed policies of the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre, saying that these have led to the creation of ‘two Indias’ — one for the rich and the other for the poor. The gulf between the two spheres is indeed widening because of the accumulation of wealth in the hands of a few, while the poor remain in deprivation. Rahul rightly argued that instead of addressing these issues, the government is imposing a ‘culture of nationalism’ on the people in order to divide and rule. The Centre must take note of this criticism and correct its failures.
G. David Milton,
Maruthancode, Tamil Nadu
Sir — Rahul Gandhi must be lauded for drawing attention to issues ailing India. The Union budget for 2022-23 failed to take measures to curb the rising prices of essential commodities — a massive burden for the common people. Although the unemployment rate is at its lowest since March 2021, it continues to be high; millions of Indians are plagued by it. The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government at the Centre has also failed to check Chinese aggressions along India’s borders.
Abhijit Mitra,
Burdwan
Sir — India is in pieces, both socially and economically (“Two in one”, Feb 4). The apathy of the Central government is evident from the fact that the interests of large sections of the public are ignored while framing laws. However, a part of the blame must be borne by the Opposition too. The lack of unity among Opposition leaders is the reason the government has not been held accountable for its actions.
Melville X. D’Souza,
Mumbai
Right decision
Sir — India is right to officially boycott the Winter Olympics in Beijing owing to the ongoing tension with China (“India Galwan protest at Olympics”, Feb 4). The decision comes on the back of China appointing a regiment commander who had participated in the Galwan clashes in 2020 — it claimed the lives of 20 Indians — as a torchbearer for the Games. The brazen attempt to glorify the soldiers responsible for the continued stand-off with India and the genocide of Uighur Muslims is unfortunate.
S.S. Paul,
Nadia
Sir — Many countries have decided to diplomatically boycott the Winter Games in Beijing in view of the human rights violations by China. However, China’s decision to celebrate a regiment commander responsible for the Galwan clashes is a new low in its already fraught relations with India. It is shameful that China is using an event like the Olympics to exert its dominance over its neighbours.
Kirti Wadhawan,
Kanpur
Parting shot
Sir — It is sad that the veteran actor-producer, Ramesh Deo, has passed away at the age of 93. Beginning his Hindi-film career as a villain in the 1962 movie, Aarti, Deo went on to deliver memorable performances alongside stars like Amitabh Bachchan and Rajesh Khanna. His roles in Anand, Aap ki Kasam and Mere Apne are unforgettable.
C.K. Subramaniam,
Mumbai
