Editor,
In India, December 16, has a historic significance. This is the day when Pakistani Army had surrendered before the Indian Army during the Indo-Pak War of 1971. The visit of our Prime Minister to Meghalaya where he addressed a gathering at Polo ground as well as Rahul Gandhi becoming the Congress president coincidentally happens to fall on December 16. With Rahul Gandhi taking charge of Congress leadership, the Congress party workers and its leaders at various levels were jubilant.
The BJP in Meghalaya were optimistic that the visit of Mr Modi would create a BJP wave in the state. The Meghalaya BJP President, Shibun Lyngdoh had earlier claimed that four sitting MLAs would share the dais with Mr Modi while he had already spoken to these legislators. But on the very eventful day, none of these legislators had turned up and all the tall claims of the BJP were shattered. Earlier BJP claimed that it would contest the 2018 Meghalaya Assembly election on its own and would not go for any pre-poll alliance. As the election is nearing, the most debated topic among the public is whether BJP in Meghalaya will get sufficient numbers of candidates to even contest the 2018 Assembly election on its tickets, with the exception of a few urban seats. Political waves are the most uncertain and nobody knows when they will change.
The BJP here in Meghalaya seems to have no agenda of its own and its only expectation is to gets some of the sitting MLAs of other political parties to its side, so that it could repeat the formula applied in 2016 Assam assembly election i.e., the formula of inducting the legislators from the other political parties. In politics one set of formula may yield very good results in one state or region but the application of the same set of formula may be very disastrous in the other cases. The need of the hour for every political party is to strengthen its base, get itself connected with the public, advocate for development and highlight issues that are of public importance and most importantly they must set up candidates who are educated and have a clean public image. But if political parties count their successes on grounds that so and so legislator from A , B, C party have joined us or are likely to join and therefore, people should vote the said party then such proposition is highly illogical one. Hence, the focus of the BJP or any political party is to connect to the people.
Yours etc
- D. Upadhaya
Shillong-1
Can India remain secular?
Editor,
In her incisive article, “Redeeming political discourse from “neech” wisecracks and barbs” (ST, Dec 15, 2017), Patricia Mukhim has highlighted the bitter fact that Rahul Gandhi too had to do a temple hopping exercise in order to keep pace with his rivals in the BJP. We have enough evidence in history that proves without a shadow of a doubt what has categorically been said in the article ~ “Mixing religion with politics is toxic.” Recently, we are made to taste the level of such toxicity in the laboratory of Syria. So, now if an assembly election in the twenty-first century India is reduced to a temple-hopping competition, then it poses a serious threat to the basic tenets of our Constitution and its ideals of secularism.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
Rising above religion
Editor,
I have read the article “Redeeming political discourse from “neech” wisecracks and barbs” (ST, Dec 15, 2017. I am fully in agreement with you that the integrity of our country has suffered because of religious rivalries. People show more allegiance to their religious beliefs than to the Constitution India. It has become very difficult for any political dispensation to persuade its citizen to be united and march towards the commitment given in the Constitution – to be secular.
Lip service alone does not make a person secular. A person should be secular in thoughts deeds and lifestyle. Unless a person is secular in his mind and spirit he is bound to tilt towards his own religion even initiating public policy. The people at the receiving end will always suspect the impartial intention of the dispenser. The question arises how to make a person truly secular. It is a difficult task because we cannot ask our leaders to forsake their religion and stop believing the god they believe. So, we have to look elsewhere to find out a neutral god, secular god and supreme god – a God who is acceptable to all religions, scientists and even to an atheist. The answer to this will be the Sun God, the supreme and natural God.
The Sun is the creator of this earth and everything on it. He (the sun) is ruler of this earth. We, including all living creatures, are surviving at his mercy. If he wants, he can destroy everything in a moment. He has created man, among all other creatures, to be wise, beautiful, intelligent and capable of doing many things. Unfortunately, men are creating gods out of their own images. Where is the need of searching for any other god when the supreme god is readily available and blessing us? Is not the Sun our supreme god? Naturally, by logic, some may ask, who is the creator of the Sun. Well, the answer is it is not necessary that all things that exist should have a creator. There is a limit to this logic. The Sun is a ball of energy, heat light etc. Science tells us that an energy can neither be created nor it can be destroyed. So, the Sun was always there in the sky and will remain there forever into infinity. No one has created it.
I am bringing the example of the Sun to rescue India from its perpetual woes because the sun is indisputably neutral, secular and not influenced by any prayer or praise. Naturally, all those who believe in the supremacy of the Sun would be a secular person. The Sun is the ultimate solution to our power, fuel and all other non- renewable energy crisis. It is also the final solution to our economic, religious and political crisis.
I am aware that this letter will not influence anyone to abandon their religious beliefs. I will be happy this letter can change our mindset! SURYA NAMASKAR.
Yours etc.
Krishna Chettri
Shillong -2