Editor,
This refer to the news item published in your esteemed daily on the death of civilians on Wednesday’s Golaghat police firing incident post the mob violence. This is a sad event as innocent youths have lost their precious lives .What is appalling is the subsequent statement of the Chief Minister Mr. Tarun Gogoi on passing the buck to the Centre and washing his hands off the killings. This comment by the Chief Minister is laughable and he is clearly trying to shift the blame to the Centre .Law and order is a state subject and the Chief Minister is responsible for the state of affairs. There is no doubt that the administration failed to grasp the severity of the situation and was outsmarted by the locals.
The Assam Government has failed to safeguard the interest of the people and on top of that they are adding to the plight of civilians by killing innocent unarmed citizens. The incident of police firing is an act of brutality and proper inquiry should be conducted into the roles of policemen and subsequent failure of the administration. As a concerned citizen, I urge the Assam government to take necessary steps to build confidence and trust between the administration and the people. The causalities subsequent to the police firing on the civilians are unfortunate could have been avoided. What is more alarming is the absence of modern amenities to tackle such situations. We have not learned lessons from the past where many lives have been lost due to lack of such facilities. The Government has embarked on police modernization plans but has not shown any seriousness to acquire non-lethal mob control machineries .Police modernization in the real sense would be able to minimize the loss of civilian lives by the administration. To control similar situations, money should be invested on acquiring special riot control weapons .Vehicle-mounted water cannons may serve to augment personal weapons and in many cases ,some water cannons allow police to add dye to mark rioters or tear gas to help disperse the crowds. Non-lethal weapons should be introduced on a large scale as they are more effective. The Government should explore measures like releasing irritant powders, use stink bombs, rubber bullets besides using water cannons.
Yours etc.
Jogesh Doley
Durban, South Africa
Abuse of public faith and trust
Editor,
Letters in these columns are a free flow condemnation over two distinct issues plaguing the State. First the NGT ban on coal mining. Second is the bandh culture! The public has relentlessly condemned the Government’s apathy and its self-centered obsession to scuttle the NGT ban and its inability to stop the bandhs called by any and every egocentric organization. It has become a burden for every right thinking citizen to live in an environment where the freedom of existence is threatened even while the Government looks on in helplessness. The Sixth Schedule we espouse as our right to protection as minorities is indeed a farce. It’s high time the Central Govt. takes a serious view on plugging the loopholes which facilitate our politicians to twist issues to their selfish advantage. The public have repeatedly expressed their disgust at the constant failings of our leaders, yet not one serving or ousted politician has cared to comment or to address the issues raised. They have shamelessly given a thumbs up to their colleagues in power. Politicians know only one thing – mutual back-scratching for political survival. The public too is nonplussed since they have to choose among lesser evils. While the state stagnates and there is all round deterioration and mis-governance, politicians walk around like blind and deaf people and care two hoots about what happens to Meghalaya and its people.
Yours etc.,
Lewis Sooting,
Via email