Editor,
Narendra Modi might have a scored a hat-trick in the Gujrat Assembly elections, but can this piece of statistics hide the fact that Gujarat ranked 13th among the major Indian states in State Hunger Index and “boasts” of 47 percent of underweight and malnourished children in its midst? In spite of the trumpet of “prosperous” Gujarat, the state plays host to innumerable poor and unemployed and regularly gets hit by drought leading to suicides of farmers. And his failure in containing the Gujarat pogrom(even if it is assumed that Modi had not played a major role in it or tacitly supported it) against Muslims remain one of the greatest scandals and horrors of independent India.
Still, Narendra Modi’s electoral success is continuing just because he projects himself as the protector of Gujarati asmita and Hindu rights and this very brand of parochial politics has “inspired” the chauvinist Gujarati Hindus to vote in droves in his favour. If he is indeed the self-declared guardian of the Gujarati Hindus, why would the non-Gujaratis and non-Hindus welcome or accept Modi as the Prime Minister of a multi-lingual democratic country?
Moreover, how can electoral success in an Assembly election of a single state serve as “qualification” enough to assume the Prime Ministership of a vast nation called India? Gegong Apang and Pawan Kumar Chamling had won more Assembly elections than Modi. But they were never considered as eligible for Prime Ministership as they were not the “darling” of the media and do not hail from any over-hyped state. Though Jyoti Basu was offered the post of Prime Ministership on a platter in 1996, that was merely a fluke. Even in his heydays, Basu, winner of five successive Assembly elections, was not considered as Prime Minister material. And though the Left Front won seven successive Assembly elections in West Bengal, never did the media and “pundits” attribute it to the
development or good governance pursued by Basu and Buddhadeb Bhaatacharjee. Thus it is ridiculous to witness how mere electoral success in just three successive Assembly elections is being exploited by vested interests as the ultimate yardstick of Modi’s “greatness”!
It is a matter of disgrace that a large section of the media. instead of highlighting his failures and indulgence in parochial and communal politics, zealously project Narendra Modi, by citing ridiculous electoral statistics, as the “best” Prime Ministerial candidate of a country which is based on the foundation of secularism and equality!
Yours etc,
Kajal Chattarjee
Kolkata -114
Earth – a dying planet?
Editor,
Our planet is indeed gasping for breath right now, our harmful pollutions is choking her slowly and continues to strip her of her ozone layer. It is about time we respond to this alarming state of the only planet we live in, by doing our share to protect her. We can start by doing simple things that will stir big action. If not, we will harm ourselves in the years ahead for nature has its own destructive way of getting back at us humans. The signs of earth‘s displeasure with inappropriate and harmful activities of humans are now seen and felt all across the globe like the global warming, climate change, acid rain, drought, flash floods and other form of natural catastrophes With the ongoing preparation for Christmas celebration, believers are busy in decorating their respective houses. Everyone desires to have a Christmas tree in their home. Yet most people turn a blind eye to the present alarming state of our planet. I happened to pass through Motphran, and I was appalled to see that hundreds of precious Pine Trees (Dieng Kseh Blei) are chopped and sold like chicken meat. Are we celebrating Christmas by demolishing and devastating our precious trees like this? It takes about 6-5 years for that Motphran-sold tree to grow. Don’t we understand that we are destroying our ecosystem? Just imagine if 1500 trees are sold in a year; after 10 years it will be 15,000 trees sold. Are we not literate enough to understand that a single tree will absorb tons of carbon dioxide over its lifetime? Shade provided by trees can also reduce our air conditioning bill by 10 to 15%. An average size tree produces enough oxygen in one year to keep a family of four breathing. I’m prompted to urge those people intending to buy such pine trees, to grow them in their own homes or else buy an artificial one rather than buying one from Motphran because every tree purchased is going to impact our future generation negatively. We should save our environment not just by cleaning but also greening it. I also urge the Government to incorporate a policy to protect Dieng Kseh Blei from illegal trading for the sake of profiteering.
Yours etc.,
Fullmoon Lyngdoh
Langtor Village
Mairang