Editor,
Narendra Modi is not only the Prime Minister, he is also a RSS Pracharak (full- time worker) whose duty is to try to bring more recruits to his ideology (faith).His open religious attachment to Varanasi; to his Maa (mother) Ganga, his spending time visiting temples in Japan and gifting of the Gita to Japan PM and Emperor, all are indications of a Pracharak, not a PM of a secular India.
So is it not unconstitutional and does it not violate the core essentials of a secular Constitution for a person occupying the highest post in the country to openly and directly communicate to school kids on a secular Teachers day? If adult Dalit minds can be influenced what is the difficulty to convert young minds not only by words but even by his body language and tone and the media aura surrounding him. If child labour is a crime, then so is the subliminal conversion of impressionable children!
Yours etc., ,
Rasputin Bismarck Manners
Kolkatta.
Garo Hills a Somalia in the making
Editor,
It would be no exaggeration to state that Garo Hills today resembles the African nation of Somalia before 2012. Killings, kidnappings, extortion and wholesale corruption have become commonplace. Gangs of killers roam freely around the countryside maiming and killing ordinary people while policemen keep busy by shooting each other up. Politicians are snapping up the leftovers and fighting amongst themselves for scraps. It’s every man for himself out there. But, as our revered politicians argue, why would anybody think of calling it a “Disturbed Area”? After all, this is normal life in the Garo Hills. Messrs Mukul Sangma, Purno Sangma and the rest of that motley crew are happy to call each other names in public but do not dare to call a spade a spade. To declare Garo Hills as a “Disturbed Area” would mean exposing themselves to the dangers of getting caught in the Army dragnet. They would therefore sell their kith and kin before admitting to the naked truth. Make no mistake, each of these politicians have blood on their hands and are neck deep in the filth of corruption. They know that their only chance lies in keeping the Army away from Garo Hills. They will talk loudly but will not act, for fear of implicating themselves. And the less said about our policemen, our guardian angels of corruption, the better.
Your etc.,
Richard Kharpran
Jowai
The Church, the State and Women
Editor,
The 14th of July 2014 was a momentous day when the Church of England General Synod voted to allow women to become bishops for the first time in its history. Twenty years back the same church allowed women to be priests. The Archbishop of Canterbury himself said that it is hugely exciting that women are to be ordained as bishops The Dean of Salisbury, Reverend June Osborne, said that women are really and truly equal in spiritual authority, as well as in leadership in society.
A day later, the British Prime Minister David Cameron, made a huge reshuffle in his cabinet, inducting new generation of younger women into senior positions. It is reported that during a trip to India in February 2013, the British Prime Minister admitted he had not appointed enough women to his Cabinet. It is obvious now that it was not an empty statement.
The above historical events in Britain poses two questions to Meghalaya where the majority of its population follow Christianity, introduced by the British in the 19th century and where communities follow the matrilineal system: (i) Are the Churches in Meghalaya going to follow suit and if so when? (ii) Will more young women get opportunities to be elected as legislators and when they do, how many will hold key positions?
The Christian population in Meghalaya is strong and vibrant with women performing vital activities particularly fund raising. But in the Presbyterian Church Synod it is a “no no” when it comes to ordaining women as pastors even though they have a Bachelor of Divinity qualification or even higher. The church elders are all men and the idea of also electing women into this position has never been entertained. As for the women priests in the Catholic Church in our state or in the region as a whole, to my knowledge they are non-existent.
In my view I think that living in a chaotic world as we are now, institutions that influence and shape society should start making changes that would enable them to meet the challenges of the modern times. They could begin by listening and participating in dialogues on the inclusion of women in those revered positions, root out differences, explore different positions, engage in different negotiations and eventually form new alliances that could bring about social and spiritual transformation.
Yours etc.,
Darilyn Syiem,
Via email