Editor,
The recent meeting of the State BJP Party and its Central leaders in Shillong is a clear indication that it does not want to ruffle feathers on certain issues that might have a negative impact on its performance in 2018. For Himanta Biswa Sarma a popular BJP leader in Assam to say that Meghalaya is way off the mark and under-developed is not an under-statement but a reality. However, there are some serious questions that need to be answered. For instance, does the BJP regret its announcement of Digital India Day on Good Friday? If it talks of secularism why are RSS goons and its fringe elements allowed to disturb Christians, Dalits, Muslims in BJP ruled states? The deliberate delay to extend the visas of three prominent Christian social workers working in India and asking them to leave the country are the BJP’s double standards? Will the BJP ban the RSS for its violence on minorities and wasn’t this BJP leader from Assam instrumental in fanning the communal flames in Langpih and elsewhere? The BJP also aims to make the North Eastern region another dumping ground for refugees from Bangladesh when the demography of the region is under threat. Therefore, the party’s sudden concern for Meghalaya is nothing but a political exercise and double-speak which we must be aware of and politically informed.
Yours etc…
Dominic S. Wankhar
Shillong:
End of VIP culture?
Editor,
The Union Cabinet’s decision to remove red beacons from the vehicles of all functionaries of the Centre and the States, other than emergency vehicles, is welcome. After Delhi and Punjab, the whole of India is to discard the culture of public showing of sacred thread of VIPs. But this should not just be limited to symbolism. While VIPs still enjoy free housing, electricity, phones, travel and medical treatment; people in general have been kept far away from the ambit of welfare. Our 131st position in Human Development Index is a case in point. It is time to discard such VIP centric welfare. The departure of red beacon culture needs to usher in a paradigm shift in focus to orient India’s economic development only for human development of our people.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Stop permits for new vehicles
Editor,
It is a sheer misfortune if our “guardians” are deaf and blind. But this could be more worrying if it is only pretence despite having two healthy eyes and ears. Metaphorically, the same is happening with the Government of Meghalaya as it is seemingly blind and deaf in many respects now. They can’t “see” the condition of the roads — the nightmarish situation due to ever increasing new vehicles on the same roads, and nor do they can “listen” to the humble suggestions of the public.
For a long time now innumerable citizens have been whimpering, moaning, groaning, weeping, crying and screaming through the Letters to the Editor of ‘The Shillong Times’ and various other vernacular dailies. But all their fervent pleas not to grant further permits to new vehicles have just fallen on the deaf ears of the government.
Now which senior officer of any government department has not experienced tough times on the exceedingly jammed roads of the town? Have they ever reached their destinations before time by driving in their sleek high-speed cars?So dear friends, buying a new vehicle in Shillong is never a worthwhile choice. Please do not buy any vehicles and I am saying this from the bottom of my heart, because you will feel deceived and regret it later. No exaggeration; your two stout legs can well surpass the speed of high-tech vehicles though they boast of running at the speed of 180 Km/hours.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali
Shillong-2