That India is one of the major victims of cybercrime is distressing news (‘War minus bullets’, January 16). There is a good chance of rise in cyber espionage in our country in the coming days, and agencies should strengthen fightback mechanisms.
The economic impact of cybercrime is severe. A vast majority of the population are not aware of these threats. People have to be alert. A strong data protection regime in the country is the need of the hour.
Prahlad Venugopal,
On email.
Cybersecurity has to be given due importance by all governments; it can create havoc if not taken seriously. India should have a dedicated agency to address all cybersecurity-related problems. Everything is becoming digital these days and we cannot rule out the possibility of the internet being used for insurrection. The government of India should look at all emerging threats in cybersecurity and take the help of the best cybersecurity experts in the world. This, in addition to the services and agencies already in place.
The G20, in its next meeting, should look at common ways of handling cybersecurity challenges.
K.V. Prasad,
On email.
Complete blunder
Though it is not right to accuse the Army of engaging in human rights violations, it is a fact that the killing of 13 civilians in Nagaland was a complete blunder that could have been avoided (‘Mani-festo’, January 16).
I agree with Mani Shankar Aiyar that Amit Shah’s version that the truck that was fired upon had armed guerrillas, who attempted to flee, is hard to believe. There was complete lack of coordination in this case. The Army did not get enough support from the Nagaland Police. Or so it seems.
Vipusha Tyagi,
On email.
Akali Dal and AAP, together?
The future of the Akali Dal looks bleak at the moment. In Punjab, it is a direct fight between the Congress and the AAP (‘The farmers will vote for us’, January 16). The BJP, while in alliance with the Akali Dal in Punjab, never had much of a role. So, it will do well without the Akali Dal.
I feel the Akali Dal should ally with the AAP in the assembly elections, to keep away the Congress.
Vyom Prakash,
On email.
With the Union government withdrawing the farm bills, the Akali Dal is in a fix. The BJP will not ally with the Akali Dal, for now. Though Harsimrat Kaur Badal said there was no question of the Akali Dal joining an alliance with the BJP, her partymen may not fully agree with her, and would want an alliance with the BJP.
Gaurav Mathur,
On email.
Affordable services
The elderly in the country deserve better attention and care (‘Silver linings playbook’, January 16). Their requirements vary from person to person and become complex after a certain advanced age. The sincere initiatives of SAGE, SACRED and other realtors providing seniors with living options are commendable. It is important that these services are offered to middle-class senior citizens at an affordable price.
G.V.N. Murthy,
Hyderabad.
The increased lifespan of the elderly have thrown open new vistas, and some are challenging. For many, looking after elderly parents is a bother. They also have to take care of their children, in addition to working. Elderlies, on their part, are anxious about their children and grandchildren.
Products and services aimed at the purchasing potential of the elderly are convenient for them.
The concepts of SAGE and SACRED are innovative, as elderly people are an immense storehouse of knowledge and wisdom, which could be fruitfully channelised for profitable ventures.
Since the elderly mostly view these activities as a means of utilising their time, the question of a handsome payment, or one which commensurate with their qualification, does not even arise. Let the seniors age gracefully while the young live peacefully.
Krishnakumar G.,
On email.
Weak V.P. Singh
There were several prime ministers who did not complete even a year as prime minister. One such accidental prime minister was V.P. Singh (‘The lion and the lamb’, January 16). Although Singh displaced Rajiv Gandhi after the Bofors scandal, he damaged the country with “Mandalisation” and weak administration. There were other short-term prime ministers who were as weak, except for Lal Bahadur Shastri. Many of them became prime ministers due to the weakening of Congress.
K.V. Jayaram,
On email.
Correct observation
Omicron, the new variant of Covid-19, has gripped the attention of the health authorities worldwide (‘Last word’, January 9). The only option is to boost the manufacture of vaccines and make them freely accessible to all nations. The hitch lies in manufacturing on global scale the cheaper generic version of the vaccine.
Unless there is a consensus among manufacturers to negotiate a treaty, the pandemic threat is going to be everlasting, as observed by Shashi Tharoor.
B. Gurumurthy,
On email.
Ban cryptos
Cryptocurrencies are nothing but psycho-digital viruses created by Satoshi Nakamoto. It does not have sovereign-support of any of the nations! China has taken the right step by banning all cryptocurrencies. If we do not ban them in India, corruption will rise exponentially (‘Codes of change’, January 2).
D.V. Mohana Prakash,
Mysuru, Karnataka.