Editor,
This is in response to Patricia Mukhim’s article titled “Hankering after the Presidency”( ST June 8, 2012) I would get be delighted if Mr PA Sangma’s name gets nominated for Presidentship and he gets unanimously elected to the supreme Constitutional post because there arises no question about his merit, intellect, experience, deeds, qualities and personality. No wonder Mr Sangma is still fondly remembered as an extremely popular Speaker with efficiency. But I will be the last person to put forward the religious affiliation of Mr Sangma ie Christianity or his tribal status while demanding the Presidentship for him. On the one hand we would declare that our Indian-ness reigns supreme and vouch for equality of all Indians; on the other, right from issuing a ticket for Panchayat election to nominating the President, the race-religion-caste-tribe-sex of the prospective candidates get religiously invoked by almost all! This is simply not done! When the religious affiliation, caste, sex of Mr Sangma, Sushil Kumar Shinde, Meira Kumar respectively are exploited to the full for probable Presidency, our trumpet of nationalism sounds pathetically hollow.
It would indeed be a matter of pride for the people of East India to see Sangma as the Indian President. But it is sad to see that not only the religious affiliation and tribal status of Sangma are being exploited to the full while rooting for his Presidentship. And drumming up support for him is none other than our respected former Speaker himself! While personal integrity is the most important identity of an individual, his/her humbleness remains the real beauty. Thus it indeed comes as a shock when a person like Sangma, otherwise possessed of immense good qualities, himself comes to the forefront to beat his own trumpet, that too by playing the sentiments of religion or tribal status! What was the need for it when there are innumerable admirers of Sangma who will root for him by banking on his merits and qualities only? Perhaps Sangma is influenced by the suicidal trend in the fractured Indian society where every step is being presently taken by eyeing different vote banks!
When will we learn to become true Indians, perceive all as Indians only and act likewise? Harbhajan Singh, Bruno Coutinho, Sania Mirza, Sourav Ganguly or M.C.Mary Kom has/had graced the Indian team through sheer merit and didn’t get selected for their Punjabi/Sikh, Goan/Christian, Muslim, Bengali or Manipuri roots. Similarly it is high time only merit is made the determining factor in all spheres of polity and social life.
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chatterjee,
Kolkata -114
Pressure groups and hidden agenda
Editor,
Much resentment has been expressed in your columns of late about how political pressure groups like KSU, FKJGP and others use the “influx” issue to advance their own hidden agenda, viz getting into mainstream politics where they can rake in some serious moolah. This has been going on for several decades and the public is no longer fooled by their antics. This is the reason why we see a sudden spurt of letters condemning these groups for their backward looking policies and double standards.
If truth be told, the KSU, FKJGP, HNYF and the rest of their kind have been taking everybody, including their own flesh and blood, for one big joyride in the name of protecting indigenous people’s rights. These groups are known to target ‘soft’ issues and call bandhs at the drop of a hat. They are also quick to step in (or keep out) wherever they smell money. For instance, one wonders why the KSU keeps going on about illegal migrants but never ever talks about how many illegal migrants are employed in the coal mines and cement industries and how they got there in the first place. Why have they NEVER taken on the unscrupulous coal barons or the cement industrialists on this matter? What have they ever done to stop the rape of the environment in the Jaintia Hills and Shillong? The short answer is – Nothing. One can easily guess the reason for their shyness on this matter. The public are not fools. .
One hopes that this Government finds some courage for a change and tackles these groups in a more effective manner. These groups have caused enough harm to the indigenous people by interfering and blackmailing successive governments and holding up key developmental projects like the railways, the 4-lane highway, etc. They DO NOT speak for the people of Meghalaya in this regard. We have had enough of vigilantes who are dragging us down with their selfish goals.
Yours etc.,
Daisy Kharkongor,
Via email