Relaxing religion

Sir — Once Diwali is over and the festive season draws to a close, most people will have to grudgingly return to work. Not so the followers of the MtoP — Motohiro to People — religion. This religion was founded by Motohiro Hisano in Japan and its only declared purpose is to provide a ‘religious excuse’ to get out of work. Since religious beliefs are part of the fundamental rights in most countries and cannot be questioned, followers of this religion can easily cite its tenets — “Working overtime is evil” — to get out of work. It is no wonder then that MtoP already has thousands of followers.

Roshni Sen, Calcutta

Real challenge

Sir — The deepfake videos of Rashmika Mandanna and Katrina Kaif are wake-up calls (“Deadly imitation”, Nov 12). The rapidly evolving world of Artificial Intelligence is a threat to humanity and needs urgent regulation. Social media platforms — some of the primary sites for the dissemination of such fabricated content — have to do more to control the spread of deepfakes. Without proper regulation, it will be difficult to harness the benefits of AI. But one thing is for certain, we cannot take anything online at face value anymore.

Khokan Das, Calcutta

Sir — Just as algorithms can create deepfakes, other algorithms can be designed to identify manipulated photographs and videos. But little can be done when the government spreads false information to undermine democratic processes. Public awareness efforts and education can equip people to recognise untruths — both digital and political.

Dhananjay Sinha, Calcutta

Sir — The deepfake videos of two Indian actresses are merely the tip of the iceberg. But they underline the ways in which generative AI technology can be misused to harm people. The growing trend of digital manipulation and its consequences for individuals are concerning. Protecting privacy in the age of rapid technological advancements is an ongoing challenge that demands a collective effort by all stakeholders.

N. Sadhasiva Reddy, Bengaluru

New dynasts

Sir — The appointment of B.Y. Vijayendra, the son of the veteran leader, B.S. Yediyurappa, as the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party in Karnataka flies in the face of the prime minister’s tirade against dynastic politics (“‘Dynasty’ boot on BJP foot”, Nov 12). There are other instances of nepotism within the BJP too. Does the BJP have any way to counter accusations of not practicing what it preaches?

While it is true that any position must be held on account of merit and not birth, it is not uncommon for children to follow in their parents’ footsteps. If it is acceptable in other professions, why not in politics?

K. Nehru Patnaik, Visakhapatnam

Sir — B.Y. Vijayendra’s elevation to the position of the BJP chief in Karnataka hardly comes as a surprise. After all, this is not the first instance of blatant hypocrisy on the part of the BJP. The party likes to act as the conscience of the nation by relentlessly mocking the Congress and various other parties as family enterprises. But it has no qualms about promoting the children of its own leaders.

Kajal Chatterjee, Calcutta

End the tussle

Sir — The Supreme Court ruling that governors cannot sit on bills passed by state legislatures is a timely rap on the knuckles. In states ruled by the Opposition, governors have become dogged impediments to the administrative process. Their only aim seems to be to obstruct progress in these states to satisfy the whims of their political minders at the Centre. The Constitution does not provide any discretionary power for governors to veto legislations passed by a state assembly. The defiance of governors thus undermines the principle of federalism as well as the elected state government. The apex court should set a definitive timeframe within which a governor has to assent to a bill passed by a state legislature.

Ranganathan Sivakumar, Chennai

City of rats

Sir — The invasion of rats in many parts of the city has become a real threat (“Calcuttan alerts mayor about rat invasion in his locality”, Nov 11). They cause structural damage to architecture and buildings and destroy more food than they consume. Rats contaminate stored food with their droppings and urine which can cause more than 35 diseases. Since there is no Pied Piper to magically rid Calcutta of these rats, the civic authorities and the people will have to ensure proper sanitation and pest control to eliminate them.

Vinay Asawa, Howrah

Versatile actor

Sir — The veteran Telugu actor, Chandra Mohan, has passed away at the age of 82. He was known for his versatile roles in a career that spanned over five decades. He acted in some 600 films and had received two Nandi Awards. Chandra Mohan’s demise has left a void in the Telugu film industry.

C.K. Subramaniam, Navi Mumbai