Finding the unseen
There are instances when one simply can’t help but turn a blind eye for reasons that will be accepted by many. Crediting the Meghalaya Police for all that they have done, an interesting ‘counter-credit’ that comes about is regarding a few ‘unintended’ hiccups that can be seen in their webpage. The link http://meghpol.nic.in/missing.html will reveal one Bhai Ram Meena who has been missing since February 2 but sadly, there is no picture of him to go along with the vivid physical descriptions. One wonders whom the force is searching for without a proper photograph! How can the public be of any help in tracing the missing person? It can never be accepted that the Department be called every time someone comes across a 5ft 9inch fair person!
The trend can be seen in the link http://meghpol.nic.in/wanted.html where 5 of the Wanted persons do not have a picture that accompanies their description along with the case number registered against their names. Let’s skip the discussion of keeping public safe from wanted persons!
Loiterers or legislators
The recently concluded 3-day winter session of the State assembly witnessed several adjournments for want of a quorum. Those missing from the Houser were seen warming themselves in the winter sun over a cup of tea instead of spending time inside. Need we say amore about how interested they are over the proceedings in the House? Some legislators attended for a brief while and then left for the day. If MLAs cannot be tied to their seats for 3 days for a job they are paid for then why have an assembly session at all? The deviants were all from the ruling party – the MUA. For want of a quorum the opposition MLAs could not move their motion for the day. The ruling coalition bulldozed their way to push through a fake Lokayukta Bill. The sweet vendor from Rilbong area whose yoghurt and sweets were laped up by the security attendants guarding their bosses in the last assembly session found the Assembly premises silent and empty this time. The public are appalled at the nonchalant behavior of the MLAs.
Said one angry young man, “These legislators have made a mockery of the faith we have reposed on them. If they cannot sit in the Assembly for 3 days then the time is not far off when Assembly sessions would last only a day. So what’s the point of having a Rs 300 crore Assembly building?
Cheating mirrors
During the 1920s, Charlie Chaplin once went to a Charlie Chaplin-look-alike competition and lost. He didn’t even make it to the finals. Having a look-alike is quite a calculated possibility in the face of this earth but once again, Shillong stands apart with similar faced persons existing just a few kilometres away. The infamous famous case of Umroi legislator Stanley Wiss Rymbai will entertain us for a couple of more years and it was just this Saturday that we managed to catch a glimpse of one of his look-alike (at least the dense facial foliage can be a mark!).
This man was seen enjoying delicacies along with his family at the third edition of the ‘Mei Ram-ew’ festival in Mawphlang. The benefits that come about by looking alike? Well, you get noticed irrespective of the fame and shame of the other.