Editor,
Please refer to the barbaric and deplorable incident of lynching of three souls at Smit village on the night of Friday the 16th Aug 2013. The three persons were killed by a hysterical mob who believed that the three victims were practitioners of U Thlen. The three were butchered merely on suspicion of their being menshohnoh (worshippers of U Thlen). They were tried and condemned by a kangaroo court while the traditional authorities present looked on as helpless spectators.
This has happened in 21st Century India. This happened one day after India celebrated its 67th Independence Day. Shame on us! We might claim to be politically free but our minds are still shackled to pre-medieval times. We might have thousands of officers, lecturers, PHDs among our society but the mind still appears to be ruled by superstition, irrational thinking and gullible emotions. This incident as well as other similar foolish events has taken the Khasi society 100 years back in time and made us the laughing stock of the whole world.
Of greater concern and worry are the brazen attempts at cover up and to provide fig leaf excuses for the crime. There have been inexcusable attempts to divert public attention from the cold blooded murder of the three to alleged police highhandedness in dealing with the murderous mob on that night. Let us be clear of one simple basic fact. Police are there to enforce law and order. When a riot takes place; when innocents are killed by a frenzied mob; when the mob refuses to disperse the police are fully authorised to take whatever measures to bring back normalcy. In this case political opportunism to prove the contrary is not only pathetic that needs to be condemned but it is also opportunism that verges on the crime of abetment of heinous murder.
The police must not hesitate in doing their duty. The law must take its course and the guilty must be arrested whoever they might be. None should take the law into their own hands and criminals must be tried by a proper court of law. The rule of law must prevail. We must not shy away from this otherwise we slip back to anarchy and lose whatever shred of civility we have left. Enough is enough. We live in the 21st century not in the dark ages. As a civilised society we must stand up and condemn such superstition. We must condemn all those who encourage it. We must denounce crime in whatever form it appears.
Yours etc.,
Toki Blah,
Via email
Malicious intent
Editor,
Apropos the letter to the editor published on August 13, 2013 in your newspaper under the caption “Impolite Conduct of DC’s Office Staff”, where one Baiahun Kharshandi, Dongsharum Umpling, Shillong-793006, had wrongly accused me of being rude to her at the DC’s Office on requesting for filling up the arms license form, I would like to state that no such incident had occurred and the events described by her are false and baseless and I would also like to state that it is not the duty of the staff of the DC’s Office to fill up the form of any applicant.
I am disappointed at your lack of judiciousness by printing the letter and mentioning my name without confirming the incident either with me or with the Deputy Commissioner who is my employer. Publishing my name against a letter containing false accusations has caused me considerable mental anguish as it amounts to defamation. I had even gone to Umpling, Dong Sharum, Shillong-6 which is the address given by the letter writer and have met the Rangbah Shnong of the area to enquire about the said Baiahun Kharshandi. I was told by the Rangbah Shnong that no such lady by this name is staying in their locality. In this regard I request you not to publish any such statements without verifying and ascertaining the genuineness of the person writing the letter by giving a fake name and address.
Yours etc.,
Freda Rynjah,
Shillong-1
Words that suggest mental slavery
Editor,
Apropos the news item appearing in your esteemed paper (ST July 23, 2013), captioned, ‘Dr. Paul drops ‘His Excellency’ tag- following the footsteps of President Pranab Mukherjee and asking to replace the word with ‘Honourable Governor,’ some words like ‘beg’ in official correspondence have been handed down to us by the colonial rulers. Unfortunately the word ‘beg’ continues to be used even to this day. This was introduced and taught to us by the British during their rule here in India for use in official and legislative correspondence. My understanding is that this word was applied in the sense that Indians had to actually beg for anything they wanted to have, even if they deserved it. The British Government treated Indians as the vanquished in their own homeland. After 1947 India has taken the reins of administration or achieved self-rule from the British rulers since thereby meaning that they can make their own laws and implement rules and regulations in accordance with the needs of the people of the land. It also means that the country does not need to follow the dictates of the erstwhile and as free citizens we can invent and contrive our own ideas in achieving any goal that befits our nation. But ruefully, after several decades of being independent the usage of words like ‘beg’ is being continued in government offices, State legislatures and Parliaments. It seems like we are handicapped and still under the yoke of foreign rule. This usage is false and has a hollow expression apart from being ridiculous in this day and age.
As free citizens of India, it will be more apt to use other appropriate words or phrases in government offices and other high places of the country. We can request the honour of our governments and officers or ask for anything with a cordial note, but not by begging. Why should anyone be a beggar at all? Therefore, whether or not the word ‘beg’ must still be used in offices and in legislatures of the country while enacting laws, framing rules and passing resolutions etc., ‘beggars description’.
In fact, Mother India never gave birth to beggars before or after the British Raj. With due respect, perhaps, Raj Bhavan may likewise take another step in this direction and discard the word ‘beg’ from all official correspondence.
Yours etc.,
Stephan Khongjee,
Shillong-8