Editor,
I was dismayed to read that a documentary The Red Ant was withdrawn from a local film festival, merely because the police insisted on ‘vetting’ it. This was apparently conveyed as an order, and so the organisers had little choice but to cancel the showing of the movie. While the facts of the case may not be entirely clear, the end result is blatant censorship and a curtailment of democracy and human rights. This is more than moral policing, it is in fact symptomatic of an inexorable, and not so subtle shift to a totalitarian state. This movie has been screened in many places elsewhere, but in the northeast, the strangle of human rights continues, ranging from AFSPA to these seemingly small restrictions in the name of law and order. It is also an insult to our patriotism, when it is implied that tribals have a predilection to subversion, and so a movie about Maoists may stir up feelings of sedition. We are proud citizens of India, so why this heavy handedness?
Yours etc.,
Glenn C Kharkongor
Via email
Is greed part of Khasi value system?
Editor,
Aar Kay Dee’s piece in the ST on 30-7-2013 was very disturbing and revealing. It reeked of arrogance, greed and selfishness. Is this what Khasis are all about? Customary rights give us access and use of the soil (top soil) to grow food for our sustenance. Nowhere did our forbears condone the rape and plunder of our land. If we claim customary rights to ownership then surely we must be held accountable by those customary values too. If your actions are causing damage to our health and to the future of our children then customarily the land must be taken away from you for the greater good. The greatest threat to Meghalaya today are not the Bangladeshis, Nepalis and other so called outsiders – rather it is the handful of millionaires of Meghalaya who rape and plunder our precious land. Rise up citizens to hold our fellow tribesmen accountable to their actions!
Yours etc.,
K Kharkongor,
Via email
Why this bias?
Editor
Apropos the news item captioned “Appointment of Medical & Health Officer only amongst state-sponsored candidates” (ST July 30 2013), I feel the decision by the State Cabinet for barring employment opportunity for those students of its own State who are pursuing studies in medical colleges not through State Government quota is biased and unconstitutional. The statement by the Honourable Chief Minister who is the leader of the cabinet is slipshod and is without proper application of his mind. Today, this decision is against the medical students. Tomorrow, the cabinet may take similar decision against the engineering students. In the near future, the decision may also be against the management students, and so on.
Secondly, the state cabinet while taking such decision perhaps forgets that there are many students who have opted to be in some of the best institutes, colleges and universities of the country by their own merit by competing tough entrance examinations including AIMEE, AIEEE, NEET, JEE , CAT, MAT, GATE, CLAT, etc., conducted by the competent authorities. The State Government should rather encourage more students from its own State to pursue higher technical education anywhere in the country or abroad whether through the State quota or not, and should not take such hasty decision to shut the doors of employment opportunity to its own bonafide citizens. The attitude of the State Government is discouraging. The Chief Minister who always professes his commitment to youth development and youth empowerment should not succumb to the illogical proposal of his cabinet colleagues and demean his own agenda. After all, how many students is the State able to absorb through its quota in a given year while more and more qualified students are willing to pursue higher technical education. Moreover, the State Government does not get the quota of seats in the country’s best institutes such as IITs, NITs, IIMs and even some of the best private colleges and universities of the country. Will Meghalaya deny job opportunities to students from its own State graduating from such reputed institutes, colleges and the universities just because they have not gone there through the State quota? The State still need more doctors, engineers and other technocrats. Why should such ban be imposed then? Thirdly, what is the harm if students are admitted in recognised institutes, colleges and universities on their own merit and their parents can support their education? By opting out of the State quota, they have at the same time given scope for a few more aspiring students to pursue higher education whose names were wait-listed. In my humble opinion, any graduate in medicine, engineering or management from any institute, college and university recognised by the country should have equal opportunity to compete for any post in any department of the State Government. The decision of the cabinet therefore needs review. Pursuing higher technical education through the State quota should not be the criterion for appointment of anybody for any job. It is the quality and the employability of the candidate which is important. Leave the job of testing quality, employability and suitability of anyone with a qualified degree for a particular job or a post to the MPSC.
Yours etc.,
Salsang Marak
Tura