The toolkit in my soul

I, too, have a toolkit concealed in my soul and spirit. As a poet and writer, I have been gifted with such a kit by the divine muse above and within. There are many a simile, sharp-edged wit, twisting metaphor, sceptical symbols, and other devices with which to hone my skills. And an 80-year-old pen that often soils my fingers but enthuses my tempers. I have been kindly assigned the duty, or ‘karma’, of empathising with the common man in order to give the fittest expressions to his weal and woes, joys and travails. And also to needle the powers that be for the humiliation heaped on him with the wheels within wheels craft and cunning to fix him behind bars. I can’t help being what I am. So, come O’ the hidden hands, to knock at my humble door, and take me away if you can, and slap sedition charges on my pen and soul, if you can!

Amritlal Madan, Kaithal

Disinformation campaign

Disinformation attacks use manipulated, mis-contextualised, misappropriated information and deep fakes to exploit our inherent cognitive biases, logical fallacies and psychological vulnerabilities. Disinformation campaigns could widen the divide between people and communities, causing unimaginable levels of chaos and violence. Stringent laws should be formulated to deal with this threat.

ROHIT KUMAR GUPTA, SHIMLA

Data privacy

Without data privacy laws in place, pulling up WhatsApp is untenable. People are using social media platforms of their own volition and if they feel that their privacy is compromised, they have the option to stop using it or migrate to other platforms of their liking, which is already being witnessed. Exodus of netizens to Telegram and Signal is at work. In the current times, people are themselves wittingly revealing their private lives on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. The issue is being blown out of proportion. The government has a propensity to block the Internet, Twitter handles of dissenters and aspires that these platforms do its bidding. Perhaps the executive and judiciary are overly striving to breathe down the necks of these platforms.

Deepak Singhal, Noida

Privacy matters

Refer to ‘Privacy at stake’; WhatsApp’s controversial privacy update over data-sharing plans with Facebook and Instagram has stoked a backlash. The differentiating policy for Europeans and Indians has created a grave apprehension in the minds of the people. The right to privacy is people’s prime concern, as stated by the CJI. There have been certain instances where this right has been at risk, like during the enactment of the Aadhaar Act. People are losing faith in the legal system as it does not meet the required standard. It is the duty of the courts to look into the stumbling block.

Sakshi Arora, Bathinda

Rampant four-laning

Four-laning over the past few years has resulted in landslides and disturbed the ecological balance in Kullu, Solan and Shimla. Have we learnt nothing so far? Anything at the cost of nature can’t bring us any good. Himachal is already experiencing rising temperatures. If more trees will be cut, what happened in Uttarakhand could occur in Himachal too. A crane will take 5 minutes to uproot a tree, but it takes a sapling many years to become a tree. Now, imagine hundreds of trees being cut. Would we be able to revive forests in time? It is utter devastation in the name of development. We are inviting a catastrophe. Why aren’t we controlling traffic? Why aren’t we encouraging the automobile industry to bring in more electric cars? Why are we killing Himachal?

Rohit S Modgil, Nehrian

Coup in neighbourhood

The overthrow of the Aung San Suu Kyi government in Myanmar through a military coup cannot be called justifiable at any cost even though she herself was running her country like a despotic leader. Though conferred with the Nobel Prize in 1991 for her non-violent struggle for the restoration of democracy and human rights in Myanmar, lately she was globally condemned for her indifferent approach towards her own people (Rohingya). But a coup is a heinous assault on the people’s rights and liberty. India’s role in this region becomes more significant. India’s firm stand against the coup is appreciative and as expected from a country which stands as an emblem of democracy to the world. India ought to play an active role in the restoration of democracy.

Amandeep Bains, Kurukshetra

Plastic menace

Plastic has become an essential ingredient in our daily life. All things are packed in plastic, or plastic containers. It has led to the spread of pollution all around. We lack civic sense and throw plastic waste wherever we like — riverbeds, nullahs and rivulets. We must minimise its use. The government should look into the problem.

Santosh Jamwal, HAMIRPUR

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