Editor,
The discourse on nationalism has stooped so low that even if you question and speak out against the perpetrators of violence you will be threatened with rape and death threats. It is absurd that a group of hooligans who disagree with someone’s idea of nationalism will respond and react through violent means. The tenet of dissent and debates has just died down with such intolerant rogues existing in the country. Just like Gurmeher Gaur ( daughter of Kargil Martyr and a student of Lady Sri Ram College, Delhi), some other women might also get rape and death threats if they speak against violence and hooliganism. This is unprecedented and unbecoming. Does the so called nationalist ( ABVP and it’s associates) still feel that women are incapable of speaking out for themselves? This country is going through very dark days under the RSS stooges. It is less likely that campuses will remain peaceful unless these hooligans be dealt with seriously. Also the students should realize that the deadly and dangerous nationalism propagated by the hooligans is nothing but a threat to the lives of everyone. The democratic ethos of campuses has been demolished by these mobsters (who believe in mob lynching) when it is supposedly believed to be the ocean of learning new ideas where deliberation and dissent exist.
The limelight that has sparked the debates in recent times in various campuses in India has also triggered the debate about anti- nationalism and attracted a lot of media attention especially when the JNU sedition charges were filed against political activists who were being framed as anti-nationals. Last week’s violence in Ramjas College speaks volumes on how difficult it is to look at nationalism through inclusive parameters. If one dares to disrupt and create a ruckus at the academic seminar, and also if one dares to bully one’s own professor and fellow students, including women, one should be seriously questioned about their idea of nationalism. I don’t think that such rascals deserve to be in campuses. Violence of any form by any entity or group should be seriously condemned. I urge the political and non political outfit to refrain from resorting to violence. It is ironic to see that they claim to be nationalists but their actions speak volumes of who they are. And mind you champions of ‘Nationalism’, to question government policies and its hypocrisy does not amount to sedition nor is it anti-national since the law of the land gives freedom to express our dissatisfaction with the existing situation in the country. Further it is unbecoming for a country believed to be the largest democracy in the world where freedom from all kinds of discrimination is expected. In reality the democratic space is constricted and the marginalized and the oppressed are hardly able to express what their notion of nationalism is. Forced nationalism is not nationalism at all; instead this amounts to fascism.
Yours etc.,
Banshan Marwein,
Via email
Tragic accident at Nongspung
Editor,
It was a terrible shock throughout Meghalaya to learn that 17 precious lives were lost in the tragic truck accident in which 78 people travelled to reach the Youth Synod of the Presbyterian Church in West Khasi Hills. The accident, apart from being tragic, was also horrific as dead bodies of the faithful were strewn around the accident site near Nongspung village along the NH 44(E). Our salute goes to the people of the village and others too who rushed to the spot to do the needful at the crucial time. We also salute the District authorities who rendered whatever help that was needed at this critical time. May the Almighty abundantly bless those who had a hand in helping physically, financially or otherwise to those who most needed help as a result of the accident.The health authorities at the Nongstoiñ Civil Hospital, Nongkasen PHC, Shillong Civil Hospital and NEIGHRIMS ought to be commended for their critical medical care rendered to the injured, some of whom are still very serious. I call upon all the public of goodwill, irrespective of caste, creed and religion, to render whatever help that is still required by those who are under medical care. The most unfortunate part is that some who were on the truck have lost two or three members in the accident.
The unfortunate and painful part of the report on the tragic accident was that Nongstoiñ Civil Hospital, despite being the oldest and premier Government Civil Hospital (health institution) in the whole of Western sector of Khasi Hills, due to its various inadequacies in healthcare, especially in critical healthcare, could not cope with the critical cases of the injured and they had to be shifted to Shillong. Until and unless the present government headed by Dr. Mukul Sangma and the Health Department led by the new health minister, Mrs. Roshan Warjri, do not wake up and immediately and overhaul the Department to ensure that the Health Department is really health for all, not a hell for all as it is today, things will never improve. This Department has been, is and will continue to be a source for minting money by vested interests it is not overhauled. Government health institutions ought to be the top healthcare centres in the State in all departments of healthcare. Year after year thousands crores of rupees are spent from the public exchequer of Meghalaya to ensure wholesome and excellent healthcare of the people of the state. Many who were in this Department have made their fortunes. Will it continue to be a source of money-making for vested interests? If the health Minister means business, I request her to show results on the ground.
I wish her all the best in her actions for the health of all.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marweiñ,
Shillong-2..
Slow poisoning!
Editor,
Through your esteemed daily I would like to caution the residents of Shillong, especially fish and fruit lovers that they are becoming victims of slow poisoning without even knowing it. For the past few years we have been coming across news reports from the rest of India about the blatant use of formalin to preserve fish. Recently, such cases were detected in neighbouring Tripura and the menace is only spreading. In such a scenario, how can we be sure that fish vendors from Andhra Pradesh where the bulk of our fish come from are not resorting to such tricks? For the uninitiated, formalin is most commonly
used to preserve (dead) bodies, besides being used in the plastics industry. That the fruit coming imported into our state are contaminated is an open secret but we seem to have accepted this unquestioningly. In the absence of any monitoring by the Health Department, there is no way we can trust the fish and fruits that we eat. The Department has been on autopilot mode for years now and the only job of the Health Inspectors serving under the Department is to collect their salaries every month. Recently, a video of an ‘alu muri’ seller collecting water from a drain in the city went viral on social media. This brings to my mind the utterly disgusting hygiene maintained by roadside food sellers. Again, the Health Inspectors are found wanting with regards to keeping such things in check. A few years ago, the Shillong Municipal Board issued an order asking all meat sellers to keep the meat covered with cloth in their shops. The order is far from being implemented. I urge the Health Department and the civic body to bring things under their control at the earliest to avoid an impending epidemic.
Yours etc.,
Sanjay Kar
Shillong-2.