Editor,
I am a frustrated and aggrieved parent of a 5 year old child whose life was deeply affected by the acts of a particular government school in Shillong. My child who was studying in KG Section “C” in Pine Mount School, Shillong was happy when she started school, but her joy was short lived when she fell sick in school and was crying for help for hours but in vain. During the time she was suffering, there were no teachers/assistant teachers or helpers. What kind of school leaves kindergarten children unattended? Where were the teachers during school hours? Is this the type of education or upbringing that the “Government School” provides where the care of children is last on the agenda? What use is an infirmary in the school if it is not being utilized especially in times of crises? What is the point of giving our contact numbers in the school diary, if when a child is sick or suffering, the school authority or the teachers concerned do not bother to even make a call to the parents? This single act of negligence from the school has caused a breakdown in the life of my child. Thanks to the gross inadequacies of the school in handling a simple situation, my child is traumatized and does not want to go to school anymore. She has recurring nightmares of the day she fell sick in school and cries every night and on waking up in the morning. A teacher from the school advised me to take the child to a psychiatrist. This is even worse; first they traumatize a child, and then they have the impudence to suggest that a child of 5 years old should see a psychiatrist just because she was suffering from an ear pain. Lastly, for our “educated teachers”, a child of 5 years cannot express herself clearly, but by the look of agony on her face even an “uneducated person” can tell whether a child is sick or not. Thank you so much Pine Mount School for your act of “negligence”.
Yours etc.
D Nongbet
Shillong – 5
Assault on medical doctors
Editor,
On April 19, six people driving Bolero Invader ML-08B-1789 assaulted one well known Anesthesist of Tura Civil Hospital in the presence of his 8 year-old son at Reserve Gittim without any rhyme or reason. The doctor was only trying overtake the Bolero on his way to the barber’s shop towards Araimile but on seeing other vehicles coming from the opposite direction he slowed down without disturbing other vehicles behind him. Shockingly, the six people stopped the doctors and slapped him for overtaking their Bolero. What sort of behavior is this? The kind of abusive language they used were indescribable They even went to the extent of threathening his son of dire consequences if they informed the police.lt may not be out of place to mention that out of the six persons involved one was wearing a camouflage and used his handset to beat the doctor thereby causing head injury. What would happen if this incident occurred in the outskirts of the town? The matter should be investigated thoroughly to find out who the prime assaulter was who incited the other five to do the same. Thank God two sensible social workers intervened and that’s how the matter was settled. Otherwise the situation would have been similar to what had happened in East Garo Hills to a newly married couple where the husband received bullets for overtaking a vehicle belonging to militants. This incident is not an insult to an individual only but on the entire medical fraternity. Will the Meghalaya Medical Services Association (MMSA) condemn this act or take up this issue at the higher level? This is not the first instance where decent people have been assaulted in Garo Hills. In the past many Church elders and peace makers under the aegis of United Christian Peace Forum, retired government officials and senior teachers driving their own vehicles were victims of this kind of assault. I request the concerned doctor and his family members not to withdraw the FIR if already filed nor agree to a compromise, no matter what the circumstances. Stand firm, let the law take its course, otherwise this will continue to happen once the culprits get away scot free. I do hope that justice prevails and the injured doctor receives judicial relief at the earliest.
Yours etc.,
R. M. Momin,
Araimile, Tura
Not a populist protest
Editor,
Apropos the editorial, Populist Protest (ST April 22, 2014) referring to the protest organised by TUR last week, I attended the protest on the day of Amit Shah’s visit to represent myself and not any organisation. I went to protest because some national leaders want to criminalize me just because of my diet. I never went there to blindly sign up for things I do not agree with. I happen to be an educated person who speaks English and uses Facebook. I am not elite. In fact, I am currently unemployed – not in an elite way. I am also certainly not an articulate intellectual and the same goes for many others who were at the ‘picnic’.
There was a small gathering that also included rappers – activists – reality show contestants et al. They also came to represent their own stands. I consider them more impactful compared to those who sit behind computers and give commentary or hunker down in their houses taken hostage by a band of 25 people who are barely in this country anymore. Their protest, my protest may be misguided – may be not, only time will tell. But to counter your points – Amit Shah didn’t even have proper press conferences, so how was this bunch of randomly associated people expected to get an audience with the Party President of the BJP? And about the people who were absent – they were at home – enjoying their holiday maybe – I don’t know because I did not try to drag anyone to the protest. So probably some research should have been done before flailing accusations. And what do you mean by sexy slogans – if those slogans are your idea of sexy then please share some appropriate slogans which you think would have worked. I want to touch on something here – Shillong is getting what it deserves. Meghalaya is getting what it deserves. When we behave like a third world dog-eats-dog population, how can we expect to be governed like Switzerland? Rich or poor, everyone shares the blame here. When individuals are being targeted just because they completed college, know English and can sing, you know how petty the people you are dealing with are. The big crabs in this little bucket cannot grasp the fact that it is possible for people to come out of their houses without a hidden agenda.
Yours etc.,
Silvester Phanbuh
Shillong- 3.