Editor,
It is indeed a dark period that our state is passing through. Whilst the chairperson State Council for Protection of Child Rights(SCPCR ) is seeking action against Marvelene Inn’s owners,our Chief Minister ,for reasons best known to him, still finds it proper to retain the Home Minister without batting an eyelid. This is a classic example of how the Congress led government operates.
I wonder what more it will take for the government to realise that it cannot do justice as long as there is a stumbling block at the helm of affairs. The yardstick to be applied will suffer and will result in an investigation that will be ridden with doubts. A case in point is the recent report of the Marvelene’s manager being housed in the Civil hospital for over a month without a medical examination board in place. This makes one lose hope in the justice delivery system which has been highlighted in the ongoing Assembly session. Even the demand has been made with the sole objective to restore the faith that justice will be done.
These views I share with your readers, solely to propagate the fact that in matters concerning the well-being of the state, the faith in the justice delivery system should not be sacrificed at the altar of politics.
Yours etc.,
Allantry Franklin Dkhar
Shillong -2
Culture and identity
Editor,
The Principal tasks taken up by the Seng Khasi and Sein Raij since the last part of the 19th and earlier 20thcenturies included the preservation of the Khasi and Jaintia traditions and cultures. It is part of recorder history that even if some members of any given community might adopt another belief system or religion, they could not and cannot ignore their traditions and culture. In context of the Seng Khasi and Sein Raij therefore, no Khasi or Jaintia can ignore the myth of origin of the Khasi and Jaintia (Hynniewtrep or Niaw Wasa) even after his/her conversion to another religion or belief system. Moreover, such myths are part of his/her very existence. This is where the place of U Lum Sohpetbneng or Tangnoob Tangjri gives meaning to his/ her identity. Therefore, it is meaningless for a Khasi or a Jaintia to get involves in the politics of culture!
Yours etc.,
Dr. Omarlin Kyndiah
Via email
The tragedy in Bengaluru
Editor
I was horrified to read in your esteemed newspaper of the violence against a young student from Arunachal Pradesh by his landlord in Bengaluru. I was even more horrified to read of the cause of this incident. What kind of an adult would beat up a young student just because he used too much water? Nobody can be that violent without a long history of sadism. What kind of a mentality are we seeing here? What can be done to infuse discipline and respect for the law in the Indian personality (especially in big cities)? Of what use is it to speak of our spiritual heritage if everyday life is marred by hatred, anger, and lawlessness?
Yours, etc.,
Deepa Majumdar,
Via email
Taking customers for a ride
Editor,
I decided to jump into the JIO bandwagon and as I was indisposed I asked a friend to go to a distributor/seller in Laitumkhrah to apply for a new SIM. This friend took relevant documents and was given a SIM card but was charged Rs 100/- for it. JIO has explicitly stated that the SIM is distributed free of charge. Livid, I called the seller and asked him why had he duped my friend by charging the Rs 100.. He goes on to tell me that “all” sellers charge Rs 100 as a service fee for filling up the customers form. None of the sellers inform the customers that they are charging the money for merely filling up the form. And the customers pay, thinking that JIO is charging them this fee for the SIM. Through your newspaper, I would like to bring to the attention of JIO that this practice is rampant in Shillong and indeed also to the general public that they should not pay any seller for the SIM. If any seller want to charge a fee for filling up the form for a customer then the customer should be informed about it. I might also add the it’s been almost 10 days and my SIM has not activated as yet. Perhaps the seller is exacting revenge by delaying the processing of my form?
Yours etc.,
- Gurung,
Via email