Editor,
I am deeply shocked and saddened by the reports in your esteemed paper: ‘Pepper Spray leaves Lok Sabha-and Nation-in Shame’ and ‘New Low in Lok Sabha…’. This is vandalism! And to know that it happened in Parliament, that too, by none other than those who represent us is unthinkable. Is there anything lower and more shameful than this? Is this what we are voting for? In the forthcoming elections, there are large numbers of young voters who are first-timers. Is this the kind of welcome that our MPs extend to our young voters? Will such scoundrel behaviour enthuse us to go and vote? To make matters worse, political parties indulge in blame-games instead of repenting and apologising before the nation. Whom are they trying to fool?
However right the cause be, violence is always wrong. Are the concerned MPs too ignorant to know this? Do we have to educate our MPs that our country won its freedom through ‘Non-violence’? As a citizen I feel hurt and sad that this has happened in the Parliament of a nation whose ‘Father’ is Mahatma Gandhi. Your paper also reported that as many as 18 MPs are suspended. But this is not enough! Those who perpetrate violence must be put in jail. If on account of a street fight one lands up in police custody, why not those who flex their muscle in Parliament? The nation would like to see them behind bars!
We hope and pray that this will not repeat and that the Election Commission as well as voters will scan and reject such rascals in the next election.
Yours etc,
George Shining Lynkhoi,
Shillong – 03
Procrastination galore!
Editor,
Apropos the news item under the captions, “Govt. sends copies of six laws on influx to pressure groups”(ST February 7, 2014) and “Pro-ILP pressure groups yet to submit list of 52 acts to Govt.” (ST February 8, 2014), this reader, like many others, feels that things are not what they seem.
After the so-called “crucial” meeting of the government and the agitating NGO leaders on January 15, 2014 all local newspapers including The Shillong Times carried the news that the meeting ended on an optimistic note when the CM was reported to have offered to provide the NGO leaders copies of 52 Acts of the State Legislature relating to influx for their perusal and decision. Thus was the agitation called off to every one’s great relief. All local newspapers, including The Shillong Times carried the news in their respective issues of the 16th January, 2014 in which we read that, “…the pro-ILP pressure groups decided to accept the State Government’s proposal to examine fifty two existing laws dealing with the issue of influx…”. Being one of those present and participating at that “crucial” meeting I can vouch for the veracity of the news report on that point. However, the information conveyed to us by the news reports, referred to here, have reversed the meaning of the context of the meeting.
Now, according to the latest news report it was the NGOs who proposed to study the 52 Acts. The ball is now supposed to be in the NGOs’ court as they have to give the list of the 52 Acts to the State’s Political Department. It is all very confusing! May one ask both the Govt. and the NGO leaders to clarify this point? Whoever had offered to provide the copies of the said Acts should know the names/titles of the Acts that had been offered for study.
It is also worrying to witness the lack of urgency to deal with the issue of undesirable influx. Both sides should set a time frame within which the study may be completed. This reader’s view is that it cannot be within his expected life-span, given the attitudes of the government as well as of the NGO leaders who seem to concur on the policy of procrastination.
Yours etc.,
Morning Star Sumer,
Shillong – 2