BY Paul Lyngdoh
As the Indian Republic enters its 63rd milestone, the question of revisiting the fundamental structure on which the Republic was based- its increasingly anachronistic Constitution- becomes more and more relevant. 63 years ago, the transition from London to New Delhi seemed to be in perfect order: today, the changing times, aspirations and goals- the underlying zeitgeist- call for a multiplicity of nerve-centres to deal with the gigantic task of building a strong, modern state. As political fortunes change their contours and the scion to the Gandhi dynasty looked more and more like another shrill vote-catcher in what would have been his Great-grandpa’s acknowledged fiefdom of UP, there is increasing acceptance of the fact that India is no more synonymous with the cow-belt; that the dynamics of this vibrant power-house are shaped as much in the metros as in the backwaters of Kerala and the bustling cities of Guwahati and Shillong.
Swapan Dasgupta’s remarkable write-up “Single size doesn’t fit all” (The Telegraph, Jan.6) brilliantly underscores how this nation has suffered because of misguided attempts to equate unity with homogeneity and to treat efforts of different smaller ethnic, religious and linguistic groups at asserting themselves with suspicion or disdain, if not both. Increase the dose of state welfarism seems to be the ready-made panacea prescribed by those in authority in New Delhi, as though the ills that afflict Haryana, Lakshadweep and Meghalaya are all the same- a symptom of the ‘’unity is homogeneity” syndrome. Armed with this superficial understanding, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare launched the Hum do, hamare do slogan in our villages with gusto- little realizing that the entire Khasi-Jaintia population is barely 14 lakhs as per the latest census, which is far less than the staggering 36 lakhs odd figure recorded by a single district- Agra in UP! As the Bangladesh Premier, Khaleda Zia, intoned emotionally over India’s contribution to the birth of Bangladesh, my thoughts were divided :a) as an Indian, it was painful to note the second partition of the country in less than three decades; but b) as a Khasi, an indigenous son of the ancient soil, I would have been just a footnote in history books if this monstrously overpopulated country were my neighbouring Indian state. It is a concern that is still alive, valid and engages my waking hours as one of the elected leaders of this tiny piece of land called Meghalaya!
The 63rd Indian Republic Day is a befitting occasion to reopen these questions and look for answers anew with complete maturity, clarity of vision and objectivity. It would not have been possible to do that ten years back. Now that time and tides are on our side, let us minutely analyse whether this one-size-fits-all approach is not the reason why federalism continues to be just a fancy term in the statute Book, why there is just one time zone in a country with the breadth of more than 2000 Kms, why the National Anthem makes no mention of its diverse, vibrant indigenous communities. The animosity towards the Indian state has reduced substantially over the years in the region: every teenager has a favorite Bollywood actor, there is greater intermingling between communities, and our own Shillong Chamber Choir have gone ahead and did what would have once been considered improbable- hear themselves sing in Tamil !
India’s opinion-makers, intellectuals, the masses at large, would do well to take note of the positive changes sweeping across the country and usher in appropriate structural constitutional amendments in keeping with the ethos and spirit of a strong federal polity that would propel it to loftier heights !
WINTER BLUES
Home Minister HDR Lyngdoh’s comment attributing the unprecedented traffic jams this winter to cold weather conditions has raised quite a few hackles. Cutting Edge managed to get hold of copies of a D.O. letter from the HM’s desk to the Union Home Minister, excerpts of which are reproduced below:
Dear Chidambaramji,
I write- or rather, I dictate (it’s too time consuming to write, given the severe Shillong cold, but I’m good at dictating, and my Commissioner does the final polishing)- to update you on the law and order situation in the state of Meghalaya. I am happy to say that everything is going on really well and smoothly too. Except for a couple of things, which I must share with you. First, of course, is the issue of traffic jams which has angered so many people here. They are too simple-minded and think I am to blame for the situation. You see, thousands of trucks hit the narrow roads passing off as National Highways every day. People think I have the liberty to reduce their number, but how do I explain that the C & C lobby (i.e., the coal and cement lobby) also has the power to reduce our number in the assembly, which we must not allow at any cost? Some think it’s because we have not pressed enough manpower into the roads. But more men means more cars on the NHs leading to more congestion! I have devised a novel solution : all the cops sitting idle are bundled into gypsies and I take them with me wherever I go, so that people can at least notice the presence of their much-loved Government.
I have done my own little research on what causes these jams and my finding may sound bizarre, but it actually was a Eureka moment for me when I discovered that trucks move rather slowly in winters because of their ignition problem. A lot of diesel has to be used before they can sputter to life. Loss of time, loss of fuel, but nevertheless , unavoidable. Unfortunate too. Unfortunate because trucks are not human beings. You see, the constituency I belong to- Sohiong- offers a solution for all slow-moving and phlegmatic human systems in the form of our ancient brew known as Ka Kiad. However low or drooping your spirits are, I can assure you, our kiad can change all that and you’ll have an adrenaline rush in a matter of nano-seconds! Some people, especially from outside my constituency, can never and will never appreciate that fact. That damned OC of Umsning PS, for instance, who caught hold of two of my loyalists and put them behind bars for trading in what he calls illicit liquor. Illicit, my foot! The idiot didn’t know that Ka Kiad was around even before the IPC was thought of! I’ve exiled him to nowhere-land with a stroke of my mighty pen. I’m sure you appreciate my guts, HM Sahib.
This brings me to another matter: the cabinet decision to construct the Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura NH by bypassing my ancestral village of Sohiong. The logic simply beats me. I would have thought that truckers and passengers would find the stopover at Sohiong the main highlight of the journey. Our land of milk and honey has everything to offer them: hooch, brandy, whisky, beer and so on. And who can complain of spending long hours on the road in such delightful company? Please speak to Mukulda, I’m sure someone must have poisoned his ears before the cabinet meeting.
Do come visiting soon, Chidambaram Sahib. You may not be a tippler, but you certainly would love to sample our indigenous barbequed pork in authentic Sohiong style?
With kind regards,
HDR
TIN-POT JUSTICE
A recent news report of two young males being caught and paraded by the local Dorbar of New Nongstoin for having allegedly raped a minor in their area should send shivers down one’s spine. Here are two shameless louts (both photographed with empty tins hung from their necks, looking defiant and unrepentant) committing a major criminal offence, and the only punishment came by way of empty tin containers tied around their necks while they were made to walk around the local bazaar. Where was the OC of the Police Station concerned to arrest the thugs and prosecute them as per the law of the land? What about the mandatory medical check-up to confirm the occurrence of the crime? What did the Dorbar achieve by parading the two perverts? Were the ends of justice met or would it deter potential offenders from committing the unforgiveable deed in future? More to the point : was it not mere exhibitionism meant to provide some free entertainment to bazaar-goers and relieve them of the tedium of every day existence?