Editor,
Apropos the letter of TFL Mawlong (ST Jan 5, 2017), I want to comment that the ruling of the Apex Court on 2.1.2017 banning canvassing on grounds of religion, caste, creed, or other sectarian angles during elections to parliament or to the vidhan sabhas has come too late because the Constitution of India, which is the supreme law of the land, has been in existence since 1950 which had mentioned exhaustively on various aspects, including this aspect. Moreover, the representation of the people’s Act, 1951 section 123 (2) has clearly forbidden to canvass during elections on ground of caste, creed, religion, community or sectarian angles and that the winners during the elections using sectarian elements face disqualification. So the ruling of the apex court is redundant. Moreover, the ruling by the 7 bench judge was 4:3 and not an overwhelming majority. It only re-affirmed the existing section 123(2) of the RoP Act of 1951.
Now the question is who will monitor and implement both in letter and spirit the ruling of the Apex Court in every inch and foot in this vast country to ensure compliance? Whether the court has the mechanisms, policing agencies etc to ensure that all political parties, all candidates, all groups or individuals involving in the process of electioneering during various elections spread over the length and breadth of Indian sub-continent strictly adhere to its ruling? The fact of the matter is that even the Election Commission of India with its vast experience and with its thick layers of mechanisms and official machinery has failed miserably to implement section 123 (2) of the RoP Act, 1951. If the SC is going to use the same machinery the results will be no better. To me the ruling of the apex Court just serves as a deterrent (scare crow) and that is all.
Moreover, the court ruling by no means can stop or prevent the tricks and the strategies that the political parties, candidates and the wide spectrum of people across India adopt during electioneering, especially during the ensuing elections to the vidhan sabhas. However, let us wait and see how the ruling will help to purify the already highly polluted politics of sectarianism in India !
Yours etc.,
Philip Marweiñ,
Shillong-2.
Joy of travelling!
Editor,
Travelling is a lucrative experience in my life. Venturing to unknown destinations is a challenge. having come to the end of my stay in the city of pines ‘Shillong’ I went to the Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) Office to book tickets for the bus and train to my next destination. To my surprise I saw the employees on strike. When I enquired about the problem, they told me that they did not get their salary for five months. That really shocked me..How ironic it is to see that the employees of such a esteemed office are fighting for their own rights but it also saddens me to see that the government is doing nothing. Thirty years ago I recall that MTC was a booming transport sector. What has happened to all the buses plying to different destinations? Why is the state transport system not doing well? Why are the employees left to rot? Without proper functioning of the office how can tourists like us travel?
As a tourist, I would kindly request the Government to look into this matter and find out solutions without denying the rights of the employees of the reputed MTC so that the ship will sail smoothly once again.
Yours etc.,
Andy T Galand,
Via email
Wrong priorities of Govt
Editor,
Political leaders seem more interested in building statues rather than solving our crying need. However, if they are so eager, they first of all need to build a statue of poverty with an inscription ~ “194.6 million Indians go hungry everyday”; a statue of malnutrition with a reminder ~ “1 in 3 children facing stunted growth and 15 per cent of our population undernourished from lack of food” and a statue of unemployment with a message ~ “India has been losing 550 jobs per day for the last 4 years”. These statues can help them get their priorities right by reminding them what Sri Aurobindo said in Savitri (p-686), ~ “Imperfect is the joy not shared by all.”
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata