By Toki Blah
Editor,
Early on the morning of the March 7, 2017 and as reported in the local dailies another young woman was found dead, dumped by some foul murderer, somewhere at Itshyrwat near NEIGHRIMS. From photos circulating on Whatsapp and FB it appears that another crime of rape and murder has again struck this city of ours. The frequency of such crimes is frightening. That such heinous crimes can be carried out with such impudence with scant regards for the arm of the law is horrifying. What the Hell is going on? Is this Meghalaya or is it an ISIS ruled caliphate somewhere in the Middle East? Have all our young women suddenly become legitimate targets and unwitting victims for sex maniacs and sex perverts or is there a serial sex murderer out there somewhere? How do we explain this sudden explosion of sex related crime in this society of ours? Now until all female relatives are home safe and sound, fear will gnaw at our hearts as we don’t know what will happen to them. What have we done to deserve this insecurity? It is not acceptable in any civilised society.
Women and girls of Shillong live in a world of fear and terror. In a so called matrilineal society the protective male has suddenly transformed himself into a beast of prey. Women when they leave their houses don’t know whether they can return home alive. The feeling of insecurity so palpable that it is to be seen to be believed. From available reports it seems most of our MLAs are reluctant and not prepared to discuss the issue on the floor of the house. When people’s representatives refuse to discuss citizen’s security and safety in the State Assembly, can we still claim to be a democracy? Instead of discussions on how to increase MLA salary and MLA funds can the Assembly, for a change, start discussing safety and security of the people? People in power ought to be ashamed of themselves that they have allowed such a situation to come to pass. We feel unsafe. Our women are scared. There is no security in our day to day lives. Sadly there is no one to allay our fears! Someone remarked that when criminals can buy power and rule, how to we expect a crackdown on crime. Will those responsible please refute this charge?
One is now shocked speechless to read about the statement of the Home Minister that he is not a watchdog and that he is not responsible about the incidence of rising crime in Meghalaya. Sir, you say you are not a watchdog (since you’re unable to offer protection); obviously you are not a sheep dog (because you’re unable to offer security and safety); you’re neither a hound dog (you’re unable, can’t or won’t track and catch criminals) then Sir, pray tell me, what sort of dog are you? As home minister your mandate is to ensure the wellbeing, security and safety of the citizen. Now at least have the decency to give an assurance that you will leave no stone unturned to bring the perpetrators to book. Even that is not forthcoming from you! So what are you doing on that Home Minister’s chair? Time for citizens to demand their rights. Time to demand that the perpetrators of the crime be arrested within the next 24 hours. If not, then Mr Home Minister you should step down. You have let down the dignity of the chair you occupy! It’s as simple as that.
Yours etc.,
Toki Blah,
Via email
Re-incarnation of Ka Phan Nonglait !
Editor,
A heroic lady has of late emerged in one, Ka Spelity Lyngdoh Langrin from a nondescript village of Domiasiat in Meghalaya whose moral courage ought to be rightly applauded for her steadfast refusal to have her sizeable portions of land for a 30 year lease to UCIL (Uranium Corporation of India Ltd.) for the purpose of Uranium ore mining. It is reported that his lady was tempted with an incredible sum of money to the tune of Rs. 45 crores; the allure of such an enticement would have led most of our leaders to go into a swoon. This case in point goes to unabashedly indicate that the powers that be are hell bent on exploiting the high quality Uranium in and around the Domiasiat village giving a fig for the adverse health ramifications of the people of the concerned villages owing to incautious Uranium mining process as amply demonstrated on the poor tribals-victims of Jadugoda in Jharkhand and elsewhere. Incidentally, for such a resolute fortitude of the lady in question, who asserted; “ Money will not buy my freedom”, I am reminded of another Khasi warrior woman, viz., Ka Phan Nonglait, who had exhibited a stirring courage in the Anglo- Khasi war of the 1820s by challenging the irrepressible military might of the British who had vanquished nearly the whole of the Indian sub-continent then. Hence, the moral courage symbolized by this indomitable lady from Domiasiat village ought to go down in the annals of the Hynniewtrep history thereby making it well nigh impossible to be neglected for generations to come.
Co-incidentally, even Irom Sharmila Chanu, that iron lady from Manipur, was reportedly offered Rs. 36 crores by the BJP to contest the ongoing assembly polls on the saffron party ticket but this rights crusader flatly rejected this monetary offer thus leaving BJP leadership in Manipur and everywhere red-faced, denoting that the much vaunted claim made by the BJP time and again as a corrupt- free nationalist party is after all far from fact.
Yours etc.,
Jerome K. Diengdoh
Shillong – 2