Editor,
Despite the Supreme Court’s well-intentioned endeavour to promote speedy justice by way of computerization of cases, Lok Adalats, Gram Nyayalaya Act, 2009 (which envisages quick disposal of justice at rural levels), implementation of Free Legal Services for the poor who can’t afford costly litigation, etc, our justice delivery system is still outrageously bogged down by delays. Cases keep mounting by the day. It is reported that over a crore cases are pending in high courts and subordinate courts across the country. The Apex Court was saddled with 66,000 pending cases two years ago. As of now the numbers must have jumped to a lakh. Hence the popular proverb, “Justice delayed is justice denied” rings true in our country. Drawing an analogy in this context, I recall the high profile case of L N Mishra, the ex- Chief Minister of Bihar who was murdered in 1975 and whose legal tussle had been dragging for nearby 40 tortuous years where the main accused was then a 27 year young man and now an ailing septuagenarian. Of the 39 witnesses he cited to prove his innocence, only around 8 are alive and over the years, more than 20 different judges have heard this specific case. If this VIP case of an eminent figure can come to such a pass then what swift and result- oriented justice can the common populace expect?
Coming nearer home it is equally disheartening to see cases pertaining to Govt. employees placed under departmental suspension, without any departmental inquiry to date. Ten years after being arrested by police for being involved in an alleged crime, the accused is now on bail, a few weeks post incarceration, but swiftly penalized with service suspension. However, in all of these years no police charge sheet has been filed against the accused which should have been normally done within a 90 day period. Similarly there may be high ranking State Govt officials who have been accused and detained on the alleged grounds of white coloured crimes and charged under the State’s Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 and placed under departmental suspension for years. The suspension may be even extended for indefinite periods to their utter chagrin and humiliation. These hapless officers could have perhaps, until judicial adjudication, been at least subject to an expeditious and proper departmental inquiry then re-instated to their service pending, the final court verdict. I broach this problematical subject because there is a likelihood that these unfortunate officers could have landed in such sticky wicket owing to the treacherous ploy of some of their self-seeking colleagues or out of sheer grudge or jealousy. But the self-respect of these charged officers and that of their near and dear ones is marred for life, living as they do in a meddlesome and backbiting society, coupled with media activism.
It is my fear that such vilified officers, until proven guilty, would face oppressive physical and psychological pressures and more often than not they may end up in being victims of manic depression which could lead to catastrophic consequences.
Yours etc.,
Jerome Diengdoh,
Shillong-2
Congress hypocrisy vrs BJP insensitivity
Editor,
All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) president Shobha Oza’s visit to the city coincided with the visit of Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways and Shipping Nitin Gadkari. While Shobha Oza was here to address the Meghalaya Mahila Congress and boost the dying prospects of her party, Gadkari ambled along to inaugurate the Shillong Bypass, albeit a year late. Gadkari rattled on about the Govt’s development agenda (boring), while Shoba Oza indulged in petty mudslinging about the BJP’s communal leanings. Both were predictable and unbelievable. The BJP should re-label its development agenda as its corporate agenda. There is little doubt about the BJP’s corporate payback agenda, especially after its Land Bill. If the Congress has misgoverned and looted thousands of crores during its tenure, the BJP appears to be no different. It is pandering to the corporates at the expense of the poor farmers. It is turning a blind eye to the communal atrocities of RSS and its clones. If the Congress can be accused of pandering to minorities and building Bangladeshi immigrant vote-banks throughout the length and breadth of the country, then the BJP too can be accused of stoking communal flames and pandering to the majority. Both parties are pursuing separate agendas but with a common thread. Nothing that Shobha Oza or Amit Shah or Nitin Gadkari say will make any difference however. Whichever party comes to power is of no consequence because our local politicians cannot change their spots. Whether Congress or BJP, local politicians will continue to be as blind and corrupt as they have always been. Regional parties like UDP are far worse, considering the fact that they are equally corrupt and afflicted with tunnel vision, while at the same time being even more racist and communal than mainstream parties. The future is bleak for Meghalaya.
Yours etc.,
Frankie Lyngdoh
Shillong -3
Pray for Nepal
Editor,
Of all the people in this world no one ever deserved this tragedy less than, ‘Nepalis’. This catastrophe comes on top of decades of misfortune. The population explosion, sex trafficking, massacre of the royal family, Maoist wars and political instability which has badly hit the economy of the Himalayan nation. Its only the positive attitude , the undeterred heart, of the Nepalis that have helped them bear their many burdens before the earthquake. Now, I see them standing in the streets reeling from the latest blow. But still standing tall as always with those heart-rending smiles, even when facing the worst that life can throw at them. Pray that they will rise up from the dust with the hope of rebuilding a new Nepal.
Yours etc…
Anil Thapa,
Via email
Get a grip on moneylenders
Editor
Apropos the news item of suicide by a lady due to her inability to pay back the debts, I reiterate that these types of incidents are like social and economic cancers in our country. The poor and needy are compelled to procure private loans with very high rate of monthly interests. There are no controls, no rules or guidelines and no proper agreements between the borrower and the lender. In western countries too
such practices prevail, but with proper guidelines and frameworks and governments/ authorities are to be informed before any transactions are conducted. But in India, the private lenders do whatever they want and the poor succumb to their tough terms and conditions. Through your esteemed daily I urge upon to the Govt machineries to look into the matter so that the poor are not driven to suicides.
Yours etc.,
Anjan Kr Das,
Shillong-6