Editor,
Everyday I open the Shillong Times website and look for some interesting news. The first thing I do when I reach office is read the daily. I feel if you start your day by reading some jokes the day passes well and you get yourself relieved of a lot of stress. I seriously believe that if you compile certain activities of some of our legislators and publish it in the form of a book, it will be one of the best selling joke books. Earlier I used be furious by their acts and many a times I expressed it through your newspaper, but it didn’t change the way the legislators act. They have a thick skin and they are used to basketfuls of criticism reaching their door each day.
I wish the 15 legislators who are about to go on a foreign trip, for a very very important job that will change the face of Meghalaya and the plight of the people who bank on them for changing their livelihood, a safe journey. In fact if the government fund is not sufficient for the purpose, I would like to request the public to come forward and make some kind donations and anyway indirectly they have been doing so. Lastly, I would like to request all the 15 legislators to depute their look alike during the period to attend functions and carry out their work in their absence.
Yours etc.,
Partha Protim Roy,
Via email
Will 2012 be different?
Editor,
So much has been written and spoken about Meghalaya, especially Shillong. But our shameless government remains the same. They don’t care to listen to the voice of the public. Take for instance, the traffic- jams. I fail to understand, why it is so difficult for the government to broaden the roads? If they have the right approach and appropriate compensation to give, no one would be so selfish to cling-on to their land and not look at the larger welfare of the public. After all, if there is money a small area is enough to erect the best and most comfortable house. The situation has almost reached saturation point. It has affected everyone including the adamant VIPS. Law makers being fined for violating traffic rules is a proof that no one can live a comfortable life alone.
Our state is so under-developed that some start comparing our “Tourist’s paradise” with “Hell” and the administration with that of “Manipur”. To me, to say “Manipur in the making” is too soft a term. But having said this, we the people are actually to blame for this sorry state of affairs. We have allowed the authorities to behave as if they have the full freedom to do what they choose and we have failed to hold them accountable. No one really cares to check the injustices, corruption and sufferings around until his/her kith and kin are affected. No matter what the CAG reports and the RTIs reveal we still revere our leaders. All that we see are one or two articles vehemently written against corruption and injustices in our regional newspapers. No NGO really have the guts/convictions to stand up against the political/religious/traditional leaders or the bureaucrats for their wrong-doings. The reason, I believe is either because we are indifferent or timid or we have too much emotional attachment towards our leaders. The people are too patient and tolerant towards their leaders (La Ki Jong). What’s the point in calling those leaders (who eat away our food and leave us hungry) our own? Sometimes we need to come out in the streets to set things right, even if that means revolting against our own leaders!
How right it is when someone told me that everything (jobs, commodities etc.) is expensive in Meghalaya. Only one thing is cheap – “the people”. We are cheap because we let our convictions/beliefs/ideologies be easily bought by communal/emotional/religious politics. It is sad to see so much of individualism among the local leaders. There is not even a single leader whom the public can rely upon. At least Manipur has one in the “Iron lady” and Assam in “Akhil Gogoi”. Does Meghalaya have anyone?
To change Meghalaya we need to change our mind-sets and stand up for our own good. Even a rally will do if not an uprising like the Tahrir Square variety. At least here our leaders don’t have militant (underground) groups like in Manipur, founded and nurtured by some leaders to serve their vested interests.
Are we ready for the CHANGE in 2012?
Yours etc.,
Peter Lunthang
Shillong-3