Editor,
The letter by OR Challam,’ Why meddle with Indigenous Faith,’ (ST Feb 10, 2016) has raised the important question about whether are we being tolerant or intolerant with other faiths. Intolerance is the cause of so much communal disturbances around the world. To raise alarm bells over a rally organized by the RSS to commemorate a nationalist leader like Subhash Chandra Bose is to overreact. It should not be a cause for alarm nor should such a procession be termed as tending towards ‘ Facism or Nazism.’ Ar not similar rallies organised even to commemorate a freedom fighter like U Tirot Sing or even something like Khasi Awakening Day? Why should few critics from the Christian community raise such hue and cry? In a democracy respecting other faiths and learning to appreciate each other is more important than condemning something that tends to infuse a sense of nationalism. It’s what we call in Khasi call ‘ Ka Jingieid Ri. ‘ Are we not being hypocrites?
Yours etc…
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong-3
Enjoying the best of both worlds!
Editor,
Apropos to your recent news item in which certain political parties some of whose members are members of the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong have been demanding that conduct rules amendment restricting government servants to from holding the post of Rangbah shnong should be withdrawn. It clearly shows a nexus between politicians and Government servants. Besides, a government servant holding the post of a Rangbah Shnong is a clear case of conflict of interest where one who sanctions and monitors the schemes also implements them! Many of them have converted the office of Rangbah shnong into an office of profit and power. Some even are not bothered to do justice the Government jobs they are holding by spending most of the time outside the office. Government employees are a small fraction of the population of the state. There are many qualified people outside the Government available to hold such posts. Then why do government employees consider themselves superior and treat others as idiots? Government servants if required can always tender advice without holding such posts. So why are these Government servants so power hungry? This clearly gives the impression that they don’t miss any opportunity to grab power and associated benefits at any cost however unethical it may be.
Government employees in Meghalaya are pampered and more privileged than the vast majority. I have seen in the past whenever a government employee dies in service mostly due to unhealthy lifestyle his kith and kin would demand as a right, compassionate appointment In the Government at the cost of vast majority of educated unemployed although his family is eligible to receive family pension and other benefits. The vast majority of the population do not enjoy such privileges. I congratulate the Government for the correct decision to withdraw such appointments in public interest.
People have joined the Government of their own free will and having joined are bound by the conduct rules. Government servants do not have the liberty to publicly criticize the very government which provides them bread and butter. We have seen these Rangbah Shnongs in Shillong who are also government employees openly criticizing the government as a part of Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong. They want to have the best of both worlds. No one is indispensible in the Government and if they think that they are above the conduct rules they do not deserve to be Government servants. I would urge them to quit in public interest if their conscience pricks them. There are too many unemployed youth in the state. It would be a great service to the people if more avenues for employment are available.
Government employees are paid hefty amounts from the public exchequer with job security. Most of them are irregular and not sincere towards their jobs. They talk about their rights conveniently but forget their duties. It is high time that we raise our voices against such opportunists and ask them to do the job with commitment and do justice to what they are being paid for in public interest.
Yours etc.,
S Nongkynrih
Shillong-4
Correction
In Abhijit Bhatacharjee’s article, Facts are sacred in history (ST Feb 10, 2016), Para 2 line 13 should read, “In spite of winning majority support for his presidential election at Tripuri in 1939, ultimately he had to resign..”.The word Tripuri was misspelt as Tripura. The error is regretted. Editor