Editor,
I am an avid follower of what each political party has to offer to the electorate once every five years. Each candidate irrespective of the political party he or she represents attempts to woo voters in every way possible. In recent years, in the urban areas of Shillong, the Dorbar Shnong have taken the initiative of organizing Common Public Meetings where candidates are invited to inform the voters of their party manifesto, their programmes and policies for the Constituency and the State. These meetings prevent bad blood among the supporters of respective candidates. Also, these common platforms allow the electorate to assess each candidates and to test whether they have the acumen to represent the Constituency. In these meetings personal attacks are disallowed and candidates are told to stick to issues only. Also the audience is allowed to question the candidates.
Unfortunately the Congress candidate of West Shillong Assembly Constituency has failed to participate in these common platforms on successive occasions on the pretext that he is too busy with election matters. Considering that West Shillong is an enlightened Constituency the candidate’s unwillingness to take part in an informed debate suggests that he either does not have the calibre to take on his rivals on the basis of issues or that he is contemptuous of the Dorbar Shnong’s initiatives.
This must be taken seriously by the voters since they hardly know what the Congress candidate stands for. Moreover, his actions have serious ramifications as he does not seem to care about the voters who come to listen to such discussions or for the Dorbar Shnong – an Institution that is still respected in these hills.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request
No moral policing please!
Editor,
Apropos the letter by Kit Shangpliang (ST Feb 20, 2013, I would like to express my support to the views expressed by him. Opportunities for the youth to express their musical talents are few, and far between. Unfortunately, whenever they do happen, someone or the other will perceive it as a threat to peace and security, and demand that the shows be stopped or banned! Is it only the youth that drink? After other celebrations too, such as weddings, etc., we find bottles strewn along the periphery. Were these celebrations attended only by the youth? Should we ban such celebrations from public places too? Moreover, it is not that all the youth misbehave. It is only a small percentage that do so and it is wrong to penalise everybody for it.
Secondly, because these shows happen so rarely, the behaviour of some of those attending becomes abnormal too. I feel the solution lies in allowing more such shows to happen more frequently. Then as people get used to them, their behaviour will become more normal too. If the opportunities to release pent-up energies are few, then the energy being released can become uncontrollable.
Lastly, I feel the authorities should insist on adequate lighting and also introduce advanced security measures, at these shows. For instance, if every segment of the audience is covered by video cameras, it will deter a lot of uncouth and wild behaviour. Banning musical concerts is not the answer. We were all young once, and if we had behaved responsibly then, let us believe the present day youth will behave responsibly too.
Yours etc., ,
R G Lyngdoh,
Shillong – 3
Day of reckoning cometh
Editor,
I congratulate Avner Pariat for his hard-hitting article “Hope – A Challenge to Our Leaders” (ST. Feb 20, 2013) which calls for accountability and servitude from Meghalaya’s politicians and bureaucrats. Mr Pariat also takes a swipe at the double-standards of the middle-class citizenry who have, over the years, become incapable of independent, objective thought and instead prefer to parrot “American/ European manufactured opinions”. He blames the middle class for being largely responsible for the sorry state of affairs vis-a-vis the politico-economic situation in the state. He has commented upon the unethical wheeling-dealing which goes on among politicians and bureaucrats who “are free to openly pursue business aspirations that are unethical and exploitative.” He has accused the Centre of “stupidly sending millions” without demanding accountability for the same.
The key takeaway from Pariat’s article is the complete loss of faith in the State’s political and bureaucratic machinery as a fallout of decades of corruption and exploitation by successive state governments. And for that we too must share the blame. We are the ones who voted these unscrupulous people to power not once, not twice, but countless number of times since the formation of the state. We have listened to their fairy tales and lies, pocketed their bribes at election time, watched them switch parties at their whims and fancies and granted them the right to be lord and master over our lives for eternity. It seems we have effectively given politicians and bureaucrats the power to enslave and loot us instead of governing on our behalf. We never asked the right questions and allowed ourselves to be led like the Jews into Hitler’s gas chambers. But there is hope of a reckoning. People have had enough of these greedy rulers and are beginning to raise their voices. The masses are no longer willing to be a silent observers to state-sponsored exploitation and extortion. As Avner Pariat aptly puts it – “We will not forget their crimes and what is the people’s right will return to the people. It will not matter if they are 80 plus, we will remember their crimes against the people.” I believe that day is not far off.
Yours etc., ,
Daisy Kharkongor
Shillong
Red beacon beckons
Editor
In the news item “113 crore-patis in electoral battle”(ST Feb 13, 2013) it was reported that the 2013 Report of the Association for Democratic Reforms and Meghalaya Election Watch hat while in the 2008 Meghalaya Legislative Assembly elections only 9 percent of candidates were crore-patis the number has risen to about 33 percent during the 2013 elections. Of these how many multi crore-patis there are in the fray is left to the imagination of the people.. No doubt all these crore-patis claim they are honourable men or women with the noblest intention to serve the people. In their zealous endeavour to become servants they manage to kick out the usually humble and poor servants out of service with no hope of these ever getting reinstated. Those who win in the elections will certainly dutifully serve the Constituency they represent but thus far and no further Service to the State should be through teamwork but this is missing. It therefore makes me wonder as to why crore-patis want to go through the gruelling process of contesting elections and spending lavishly in order to become servants. If one looks back this all started from the 2003 Meghalaya LA elections. It was humoured then that one such crore-pati wanted to enter politics in order to be able to serve but with the rider that he should have the privilege of having a government authorised red beacon fitted on his vehicle and nothing more. He did manage to get in and did get the red beacon as well. .However, his affluence not only gave him the flashing light but also unlimited power to influence decisions to his advantage besides being the star player in the many fascinating games of numbers. This power to influence would perhaps justify the upward trend of participation of other crore-patis in elections as otherwise if their interest is truly to serve the people would it not be easier for them to do so by becoming philanthropists instead and provide something of long lasting value for the people for which they will not only be revered now but for generations to come..If all of them do this without contesting elections while influencing the State to act as the facilitator in their beneficial programmes , it would be the perfect sample of Public Private Partnership for healthy all round growth. But then the red beacon beckons and it’s too tempting and alluring to pass it up.
Yours etc.,
KL Tariang,
Via email