Editor,
Guests are genuinely respected in India than in any other country in the world. ‘Atithi devo bhava” (roughly translated as –‘ the guest is God’), is a sermon from the Taittiriya Upanishad which is religiously taught to each individual from childhood. The message behind this is to see God in every being because, none can exist without God, or His all-pervasive divine energy. The ancient Indian seers realized this fact in the depth of their meditation, and Yoga is the way towards such realization.
Why is more importance attached to an unknown guest is a significant question. While we have expectations such as love, affection or attachment from personal relationships, in the case of a stranger it is a one-way service. You serve him/her without any expectations in return. Any service without expectation of returns leads to quick purification of the doer’s soul. This gradually leads to self-realization. Therefore, serving unknown guests, irrespective of caste, creed, race, colour, is spiritually sanctifying and self-evolving.
Now let us look at the episode regarding the Nigerian guests in Noida recently. This behaviour is doubtlessly unbecoming and condemnable. Several articles and editorials have been published in the media calling it racism. Most of these write-ups have projected India in a bad light as if Indians have a congenital hatred for outsiders. It seems as if every foreigner in India is looked down upon and that visiting international tourists are hardly safe. Reporters of certain news channels are seen goading the tourists/guests to speak out in negative tones against India as if Indians might, without rhyme or reason, beat any visiting foreigner black and blue. Not many newspapers have discussed the other side of the story which is equally spine-chilling.
Some so-called guests who visit India are involved in sinister activities in the name of pursuing education. A friend from Kailash Colony, New Delhi, narrated stories of various wrongdoings that are unabashedly committed by the foreign ‘guests,’ such as drug peddling, prostitution and sleazy fun. My friend told me that as far as drug trade is concerned these foreign guests have a special modus operandi which is like throwing a “bait” into the river to catch more fish later. Lots of young people are thus lured into the drug net. Well-built black hunkies easily get after urban local folks and lure them into the immoral indulgences in the name of naughty fun. Two years ago Aam Aadmi Party leader Somnath Bharti`s midnight raid was a move in the right direction but the media portrayed him as a racist.
If the above allegations are true then what’s in store for those youths and their parents who are already bearing the brunt. It’s lamentable that the media does not focus on what’s truly corrupting our youths. One strongly feels that before painting the nation black the media should make sure that none of our guests from abroad mess around with our children. I have heard that many parents are enraged that their children are lured into drugs and sleaze. So, let’s be sensible before we regret. Before stretching the hand of hospitality, let’s check out the antecedents of the guests we invite to our neighborhood, nay, our country. Guest should not become a ‘liability’.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali
Shillong-2
BJP miscalculations
Editor,
The news item that appeared on the front page of your daily (ST Mar 28, 2017) regarding the controversy over selecting a candidate for 16-Shillong East by the BJP made interesting reading. This seat is one of the probables of BJP in 2018 L.A elections. According to the calculation of the Meghalaya State BJP, 16-Shillong East will go to its kitty in the next Assembly elections scheduled for the early part of 2018. However, owing to reckless, undiplomatic, irrational and political inexperience of the leaders of the Shillong City Mandal of the BJP, instead of arriving at a consensus for its candidate for 2018 by taking on board all the old and the new members of the 16-Shillong East Mandal, they rode roughshod over them. This resulted in resentment of old and veteran BJP members who are widely divided over the issue. The fact of the matter is that the leaders of the BJP, Shillong City, led by its President and the Secretary, had by-passed and ignored the existing BJP Mandal of the Assembly segment. They, instead super-imposed their pre-determined candidate, Antonio War who had migrated from the Congress and joined the BJP late last year. Hence, instead of carrying along all the members of the Mandal, they were responsible for a vertical split in it. This will greatly damage the prospects of winning the seat from Shillong city.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email
On pluralism and alienation
Editor,
Kudos to Ananya Guha for his article, “Justifying pluralism and alienation” (ST, April 8, 2017). Innocent and poor people have routinely been attacked and tortured by the goons of gau rakshaks since 2015. They have done great damage to India’s image in a series of deadly events from Dadri in UP to Una in Gujarat and now at Alwar in Rajasthan. These so called rakshaks (protectors) are actually rakshasas (demons) who are out to tarnish our fabric of fraternity. Such groups should immediately be banned.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Meghalaya’s fall from grace
Editor,
The numerous incidents of direct and indirect nepotism, corruption, poor governance and lawlessness across the peaceful and progressive NE Indian ?state of Meghalaya are highly condemnable. Furthermore, rising incidences of violence and cases of molestation, rapes, abduction and torture of helpless women and child victims, rapid spread of insurgency, poor economic growth and lack of employment opportunities under a corrupt, dynastic political system of the state have sent shock waves across India and abroad. It is time for the people of Meghalaya to step outside their homes and raise a strong, peaceful but democratic protest against the current regime for its alleged role in trying to save the culprits and lack of appropriate stringent action. The 2018 assembly election is not very far off and an incapable government who had the people’s mandate but completely failed has no right to govern the state any further. The peaceful and democratic people of Meghalaya should approach the Governor to dissolve the Assembly and ask for fresh elections. It is time for the people to choose a new government over a failed and corrupt one. My deepest sympathies for the people of Meghalaya, for going through such devastating socio-economic crises, with no end in sight for a solution, or intervention, by a corrupt, and useless state government.
Yours etc,,
Saikat Kumar Basu,
Lethbridge AB Canada T1J 4B3