Editor,
This seems to be the subject that every rational citizen debates within himself or herself. They want to vote but wonder if there’s any point. The pre -poll survey reveals this fact. This is not unexpected. Voters in general have lost faith in the government. Political leaders whether from regional or national parties are the same.(uno ,uno u juh suda). The day the elected leader occupies the chair ,he is just one among many. What is most tragic is that we have lost faith even in our own judgement. What choice do we have? We are trapped between the devil and the deep sea. As Mr T Blah rightly said, ‘Come, let’s not waste our votes’ and act like weak, lame, pathetic prisoners or may be slaves. Of course , some are bought to vote and dutifully do so.
Looking at the issues facing the country, perhaps fewer people would go to the polls. A vote cast by an uninformed voter is not worth much. His choice is based on insufficient knowledge of the issues and choices at stake. We need to raise the level of political debate in order to get a better government. But we all know this is not going to happen in India anyway. During election time, candidates ignore the intelligentsia or those with a conscience. Half – educated and ill-informed people are the main vote banks of the Indian politicians because they are happy with small gifts. This category of people can be easily wooed; they don’t give a damn about improvement of the State. So as the D-day approaches the least we can do is knock some sense into our fellow citizen’s minds and then leave him or her to decide.
Yours etc.,
ML Kharmawphlang.
Via e-mail
Of political faux-pas
Editor,
Sometimes it is really amusing that our politicians do not care even if they make a laughing stock of themselves just to gain political mileage. For instance, our very own dynamic Chief Minister promised to give the people of the state a Christmas gift in the form of making the Shillong Bye pass operational before Christmas without checking whether the Bye pass is really ready or for that matter road worthy. Now that the National Highway Authority of India has officially stated that the Bye pass would not be ready before March 2013, would this not make our Chief Minister a laughing stock for making a serious commitment over unverified facts.
The other seasoned politician and our sitting Minister, Dr. RC Laloo proclaimed that not an inch of our land has gone to Assam when it is there for everyone to see. Right from East Khasi Hills to Jaintia Hills District, quite a major chunk of our land has been usurped by our neighbour, Assam, time and again as our successive governments failed to tackle the border problem earnestly and honestly. Yet Dr. RC Laloo, our well educated Minister dared to articulate what is his own assumption as against the factual position. Perhaps he honestly believes that the people of Meghalaya are an illiterate and ill-informed lot. Dr. Laloo ought to weigh the facts carefully before speaking out loud. This would certainly save him from being another laughing stock.
Yours etc.,
Dr Jenniefer Dkhar,
Shillong -4
Inflicted by land sharks
Editor,
I couldn’t agree more with what Kong Patricia Mukhim has elucidated poignantly in her article “Time to pay Income Tax’ (ST Dec 15, 2012). The time is now for these land sharks to disclose their movable and immovable assets. Period! While reading this article sitting on my verandah I saw a daily wage labourer who used to come very often, to collect few remaining squash (locally known piskot) on a small patch of land close by our house, where they grow abundantly. My relative who was there sitting by my side as we were sun-bathing told me that he heard, that the small patch of land is on sale for crores of rupees, since it is by the road. The prospective buyer will be big business person. Hence, all prime land (rural and urban) and strategic locations are and will be owned by a few land sharks. I am not sorry for being straightforward here and also I am not against a person amassing honest wealth. But the question remains when we bring home the point of ‘distributive justice’. All I can say is that a new hybrid phenomenon of feudalism is here. I steal this opportunity and claim here to speak on behalf of those (including the piskot collector) who righteously and honestly earn their meager monthly income with the sweat of their brow as our ancestors had laid down.
Yours etc.,
UD Tmar,
Shillong-6
NCP flounders
Editor,
The NCP seems to be very hesitant in taking any action against Ex NCP members who have already transformed into NPP. Agatha is her father’s daughter and will naturally go for her family Party where her kith and kin do their business. If you want to suspend her-suspend her. What’s the use in making a song and dance about it ? Or maybe first a committee will be formed after which a sub- committee is formed to investigate the matter and come out with fact finding truth. Now that the big BOSS of NCP in Garo Hills has quit the Party it seems to have lost its footing completely.
Your etc.,
Nessfield B Sangma