Editor,
I filed a suit in 2004 against Mr SP Mahanta and his wife alleging their encroachment of our 14,285 sq ft parental property in Lower Lauchaumiere. Mr Mahanta was removed from the position of Additional Advocate General of Meghalaya due to allegation of illegal activities.
Yesterday it was brought to my notice that a section of the media has reported that Mr SP Mahanta has been reinstated as the Additional Advocate General of Meghalaya. According to that news item, the Law Minister, Mr Bindo M Lanong said that Mr SP Mahanta was reinstated following a court order in his favour and that the petitioner did not contest the court order.
I would like to inform that the Law Minister’s statement is blatantly incorrect. Although the Law Minister is right in saying that Mr SP Mahanta got a favourable order in the lower court, he was grossly incorrect in saying that the petitioner did not contest the court order. The Munsif’s court in Shillong passed the order in Mr Mahanta’s favour on February 10, 2012. Within days of that order, an Appeal was filed by the petitioners on February 29, 2012 against that order in the court of the Additional District Judge, in Shillong.
According to the news item Mr Lanong also stated that Mahanta was reinstated last week (i.e. after 9/7/12). But the Appeal was filed more than 4 months before Mr Mahanta was reinstated.
The veracity of my claim can be established by enquiries in the court of the Additional District Judge. It will confirm that I and my 2 elderly sisters filed an Appeal {Number RFA Appeal 1(T)2012} on February 29 this year in the said court and the case is at the final stage of hearing. The next date of hearing of the Appeal is on August 2, 2012. In response to my pleading to the Hon’ble High Court, it is also monitoring the said Appeal through W.P (sou moto) (Sh)73 of 2011.
This is an important matter of public interest and the Law Minister should not have made such a blatantly incorrect statement for public consumption. He may also be asked to ascertain the facts in this matter, and not only to rectify his incorrect statement publicly, but also to rectify his incorrect action by removing Mr Mahanta once again from the Additional Advocate General’s position until the whole Appeal process of this case is completed.
Justice must be allowed to prevail and the media has a responsibility to bring out the truth.
Yours etc.
Tushar Nath Bhattacharjee
Sydney, Australia
Wrong identity
Editor,
Apropos the news item in the 23rd July issue of your esteemed daily, in which it was reported that a middle man for supply of firearms namely Paua Hatjaw was picked up by police at Tura. It was reported that the accused is a Mizo married to a Garo. I would like to clarify that Paua Hatjaw is not a Mizo name and the person concerned is not a Mizo. I sincerely request you to kindly instruct your reporters to take due care not to publish erroneous reports which can hurt the sentiments of a particular community.
Yours etc.
B Laltanpuia
President
Young Mizo Association
Shillong
Our reporter replies: The source of the above news is the Police Department. However, we apologise for the error.
Influx a serious issue
Editor,
The issue of Influx and work permit seems to have faded from public memory since much coverage is being given to the current inter-state border problem. While handling the border issue the state government needs to equally dwell and revamp the entire infiltration checking system which in its current form serves as a “guest house.” The Government should start deploying labour inspectors at every block and district level. As the Chief Minister himself said, every issue should not be politicized for electoral gains but people would also like to see that political issues require decisive political decisions by not playing political games.
Yours etc.,
Dominic S Wankhar
Shillong-3
Business community victimised
Editor,
I wish to draw the attention of the Government of Meghalaya to the rampant extortion from the business community of Shillong especially along GS Road, Police Bazar and Bara Bazar by two popular NGOs. While calling it donation they are harassing and threatening us with dire consequences if we fail to pay the amount decided by them. We dare not oppose them for fear of consequences. These groups are behaving no less than militants. As genuine citizens and tax payers of the country I request that the matter be investigated and the culprits punished. This is a very serious matter as crores of rupees are being collected illegally. We wonder for what purpose the money is being used. We hope it is not for procuring arms to be used against us.
Yours etc.,
Distressed citizens
(Names withheld on request)