Saturday, November 2, 2024
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Shillong Jottings

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Blockade Effects

The recent road blockade was what Americans would call a bummer has been a dampener for many a marriage party.

It has thrown out of gear seminars and workshops, upset tourist itineraries and sent people scrambling hither and thither. And all because of a road blockade called by some worthies from a safe hideout that our cops cannot detect.

Quite a few marriage parties were either postponed or canceled last week in the face of the blockade.

One parent confided that her son’s marriage party reception was kept for 7 pm but she had to reschedule it to 12 noon and switch over to lunch instead of dinner. Another guardian said that his daughter’s marriage party now depends on the NGOs.

“I invited friends and family from outside Shillong but had to cancel their trip. For those on hospital duty it was difficult this time around since the agitators have not spared even ambulances them as they attacked anything that moved.

And for the villagers and those who come to the city to get their work done it was a harrowing time. They had to rush back early to duck the petrol bombs that started flying after 7pm.

 Much ado about an article!

“The common adage, “Shoot the messenger if you don’t like the message,” seems to be the favourite pastime of certain politicians and their hard-headed supporters.

Last week, HH Mohrmen who wrote an article pointing out the evils of unregulated mining in Jaintia Hills and the whole state went through a harrowing experience as the law went berserk in trying to book him for free-speech.

Facebook was rife with comments such as “If only the cops are equally gung-ho at booking criminals and corrupt politicians, Meghalaya would be a paradise.”

At the press conference, one of the Right to Information activists used an unmentionable word to describe politicians and dared them to pull her up before the Privileges Committee. Thankfully the media was restrained and did not publish the word.Meghalaya still fights for its democratic space and this is a healthy trend. Left to politicians Meghalaya would turn into a fascist state.

 Office picketing not public curfew

Many have posted queries on The Shillong Times Facebook Page whether office picketing also means that schools and colleges would be closed.

Common sense dictates that office picketing in Meghalaya usually means state and central government establishments and banks. In fact many eagerly look out for such occasions. After all it’s a paid holiday. The state government loses nothing. Its the public again that suffers because banks deal directly with the public. But who cares? The agitators give a call and everyone falls in line because it is the path of least resistance.

The office picketeers do not even have to come out to enforce their diktat. It just works like clockwork precision. Some who are new to the culture of Shillong tend to get depressed by this disruption of normal life. But those who have seen this drama enacted on the eve of elections know exactly why such things happen.

An elderly gentleman and others discussing this issue in a restaurant were heard saying, “Influx has been an issue since 1979 and it is an issue raised by non-performing politicians who have nothing to show for their achievements.

Some pressure groups raise the issue on their behalf. Once the elections are over the issue is forgotten and everyone is back to their normal lives.”

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