Editor,
I am not a subscriber to any political ideology or party but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made us Indians proud with his rich extempore at the US Congress. Eight standing ovations and sixty six clapping by the US Congress members in his over an hour address was not forceful but spontaneous. In fact this invitation to address the joint US Parliament is in itself historic after the denial of VISA and rest of it in the past. He has touched upon every facet of Indo-US relationship while revering great leaders from both countries. His strong emotive pitch respecting the nationalities of world’s largest and oldest democracies with a tinge of humour on occasions was magnetic. He said, “India applauds the great sacrifices of the men and women from, “The Land of the Free and Home of the Brave” in service to mankind”. His rich eloquence touched the heart of one and all, as was evinced inside the house, and those like us hearing him on live television.
Good humour prevailed at the Capitol, where a large section of the dominant Indian American community was present, when Modi said, “Mr Speaker Sir, I am informed that the working of the US Congress is harmonious. I am also told that you are well-known for your bipartisanship. But you are not alone. I have also witnessed a similar spirit in Indian Parliament, especially in Upper House.” This statement with a tongue-in-cheek reference to the rough politics in both countries evoked peals of laughter. Without naming any country he made a big dent on global terrorism especially those emanating from India’s neighbourhood. Now, one has to be an absolute fool not to know what country is. Modi concluded with the lines of Walt Whitman, “The Orchestra have sufficiently tuned their instruments, the baton has given the signal.” Modi then said, “And to that, if I might add, there is a new symphony at play,” pointing the Indo-US relation. Hats off, Mr Modi, you have indeed taken this country to the international stage and made it a force to reckon with.
Yours etc.
PK Dwivedi
Shillong – 1
Cleanliness next to Godliness??
Editor,
Apropos the front page news in your esteemed daily (ST June 5, 2016), “Govt. chooses to ignore Environment Day,” I agree that the whole religious angle given to the subject of Govt not observing World Environment Day on a Sunday is indeed disheartening. The issue of environmental protection, preservation and conservation have always been entrusted to the Government, judiciary, NGOs or the Eco-activist. However, I would also like to raise a more pertinent question and what is – What role are the various religious groups playing in mobilising and guiding the thoughts and actions of its believers on their roles and responsibilities towards our environment? Let’s say take the basic littering habits. Each one of us is following some religion or the other based on personal faith, Doesn’t our religion teach us to protect what God has created? Does our religion teach us to pollute, litter, or be least bothered about our environment? Religious leaders across religions are all concerned about propagating religious beliefs but how many of them have initiated a call for the believers to follow the path of righteousness in protecting the environment. If each and every believer of whichever religion along with its religious leaders join in a mass movement for creating awareness and involving the believers in doing small acts towards cleanliness and contribute towards eco-friendly way of life, perhaps then we have served God and can be proud of our faiths. As a Christian myself I believe the church can play an important role at least in initiating the much needed zero littering campaign among its believers. So can the Hindus, Muslims, and other religious groups too. Children going to the Sunday school don’t litter inside the church premises but when they go to school, as soon as they come out they would fling the chips packets and chocolate wrappers all around. Now what values of clean and righteous habits are being preached to them? I hope that the religious groups will come together and start practicing what they preach and bring the much-needed repentance and revival in the habits and lifestyles of its believers and hence live up to the saying, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness.” Cleanliness has to originate from the place of worship and spread to our very surroundings. If purification of the one’s body, mind and soul is the way to approach God, then how is it justified when we litter our surroundings with filth and garbage? Is cleanliness confined inside the religious premises only?
Yours etc.,
Nicholas J. Kharnami,
President Partners of Pla Iew Club,
Shillong
Dangers of mono-cropping
Editor,
Crop monoculture, or in other words the common practice of mass production of genetically similar crops/ plants over large agronomic areas repeatedly for years have significant negative impacts on the agricultural biodiversity around the globe. Modern industrial agricultural practices with the extensive use of synthetic agro-chemicals like synthetic fertilizers, pesticides, artificial plant hormones and other associated chemicals; over application of irrigation water, made to order seeds have cumulative impacts in the erosion of local, regional and global agricultural biodiversity. Due to such industrial practices, large numbers of locally adapted cultivars, germplasms, seed lines and crop varieties has been lost in epic proportions and has now developed into a global challenge with respect to our future food security. It is important for all the nations across the globe to seriously introspect on the various factors responsible for the loss of agricultural biodiversity? and the global challenges to food security.
Yours etc.,
Saikat Kumar Basu,
Lethbridge AB Canada