Editor,
Apropos the letter, “Goalpara was never Bengali dominated” (ST, Sep 20), it seems that the author forcefully tried to establish his point that “Goalpara was at no point of time a Bengali dominated area.” Such a remark requires established references otherwise it is not acceptable. History tells us, “The region of Goalpara was part of Koch Hajo in the late 16th century, but after Ahom –Mughal conflict (1619-1682), it became a part of Bengal Subah, and fell under North Eastern Rongpur Division, under the administrative control of David Scott, the Chief Commissioner. . In March 1833, the North Eastern Rongpur was constituted as the Goalpara District and until 1874 Goalpara was mostly a part of Bengal. (Ref:’-A statistical Account Of Assam’ by Hunter William Wilson (1879), A.C. Bannerjee,” Undivided Goalpara District’ 1992 ,Sir Edward Gait ,’ A study of the Folk culture of Goalpara Region of Assam’ by Birendranath Datta, Published by the Assam University)
After analyzing these discreet historical facts, figures and research work of different reputed historians it is clear that until 1874 Goalpara was a part of Bengal and the language spoken there, till today is also mixed Bengali, which is known as Goalpariya Bengali . Many Bengali rituals and traditions are also observed by the people of Goalpara, which clearly proves that for longer periods in the past Goalpara was Bengali dominated..
Regarding annexation of Cooch Behar with Bengal, the author made a very crude remark, “Cooch Behar was annexed with Bengal in 1950,through the most notorious manipulation of the then Bengal Chief Minister, Dr. Bidhan Ch. Roy’, This statement does not befit the stature of a civilized author..Not only Cooch Behar, but after independence of India, many princely estates were annexed with other states, so who should be blamed? The Sylhet district, being a prominent part of Assam, was exiled to East Pakistan ( present Bangladesh) for whose “notorious manipulation”?
Yours etc.,
Uma Purkayastha,
Shillong-4
MeECL does it again!
Editor,
This time it’s not about inflated electricity bills, but about appointment of staff in vacant posts. The MeECL had advertised for appointment of Junior Divisional Accountants on contractual basis with a consolidated pay, vide Advertisement No. AES/1363/2012/62, dated August 19, 2014 circulated to MeECL Departments only by putting it on their respective notice boards which I accidentally happened to read in one of the MeECL departments (i.e. in Meter Factory premises) when I had gone there for some work. This advertisement had never been published in any of the local or State newspapers or in the website of the MeECL.
Earlier in 2012 the MeECL had advertised for the vacant posts of Junior Divisional Accountants with the scale pay plus usual allowances as admissible under the Corporation’s rules, vide Advertisement No. MeECL/RC/CA/298/2011/4, dated March 26, 2012. The written examination for the same was held on the May 4, 2013 and the results for the written test declared on Nov 11, 2013. The personal interview is yet to be conducted by the Corporation. However, the MeECL is now in the process of conducting the direct personal interview for the above mentioned contractual posts of JDAs.
As an aspiring candidate for the same post, I had appeared for the written test and had cleared the same. But I am now in a dilemma as to why the department is not holding the personal interview for the post whose result had already been declared and is instead calling for another interview for the contractual posts of JDAs. I fail to understand why the contractual candidates are given precedence over those candidates who had already cleared the written test. This is like trampling on the rights of the meritorious candidates.
Will the department clarify on the above anomalies or will it be another case of nepotism and favouritism which will deprive the unemployed youths of the state who had already cleared the written test? Moreover, had the MeECL advertised the above mentioned Contractual posts of JDAs in the local and State newspapers, many unemployed youths would have had the opportunity to apply for it. For now I feel that the candidates who had cleared the written test should have been called first to fill up the posts before posting a new advertisement for the same post but on contractual basis.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request