Editor
The late night DJ culture embraced by most of the Hotels in our cities to cater to a select group of entertainment seekers is a nuisance. There is no respite even after complaining to the concerned authority at the loudspeakers blazing from the terrace. They are least bothered about the inconvenience of the residents. Infants, students and senior citizens are entitled to enjoy their peace and silence in the evening and in a natural, peaceful atmosphere. Their privileges must be honoured. There is already an existing law against generating noise that is over 125 decibels. As per the Apex Court guidelines, a loud speaker or a public address system is not permitted after 10 pm except in closed premises for communication. A written permission is to be obtained even for a day time programme. Should not the concerned authorities be held responsible for allowing such activities near residential areas? We live in a civilised society. We see no reason why the hotels should not organise such parties within closed walls of their premises with small speaker circuits? Will the District Administration take action to arrest such vandalism? We all know how police stopped Pandit Jasraj’s show in Pune in 2002. It is a necessity to raise public awareness to control public address systems within threshold limits.
Yours etc.,
Kamal Baruah,
Guwahati
Stop the extortion!
Editor,
Apropos your news report dated “HNYF Wants Free Fuel To Complete ‘Pending Work’”,( ST Dec 11, 2017), it is my opinion that this is nothing but a method used by such organisations to extort fuel. The petrol pumps bear no duty towards any person or organisation to provide free fuel. A petrol pump is a business like any other and provides their products at a rate set by the government. Instead of demanding free fuel, these organizations should be more concerned about bigger things such as health, education and the condition of the roads that the common man uses on a daily basis.
I strongly condemn such practices and request the media not to publish such reports as they are in bad taste and would only encourage other organizations to do the same. I bear no ill will towards any party or organisation but must call a spade, a spade.
Yours etc.,
Banshai Dkhar
Zoo Road, Guwahati
Curse of untouchability!
Editor,
This refers to your editorial, “The Dalit Factor” (ST, Jan 6, 2018). The baton of untouchability has been relayed down the ages from Manu to the Peswan era to even modern India. This prompted BR Ambedkar to say, “Though, I was a born Hindu, I solemnly assure you that I will not die as a Hindu.” And this makes lower caste students sit separately from upper caste for their mid-day meal in a government school in Junagadh, Gujarat. Unfortunately, such ugly practices prevail elsewhere too. It has been reported that if children of all castes are made to sit together, many upper caste parents would withdraw their wards from school. This shows that a large section of our people are still carrying almost the same horrifying apathy against Dalits as our ancestors used to.
Tagore has warned us about the danger of carrying prejudices in the name of tradition in his story titled, ~ Kartar Bhoot (“The Ghost of the Leader”). When a leader of a land is about to die, his followers request him to stay on after his death to guide them. But after his death, his followers find regressive rituals cluttering up their lives and in this way making their lives segregated from the outside world. So, they request the ghost of the leader to relieve them of his domination. At this point in time what the ghost says, needs to be reflected on. He says that he exists only in their minds!
The Maharashtra unrest underscores the immediate need to make us free from the ghost of untouchability. We must listen to Swami Vivekananda who had once said, “There is an old superstition in Bengal that if the cobra that bites, sucks out his own poison from the victim, the man must survive. Well then, the Brahmin must suck out his own poison.” Unity cannot survive without fraternity. To make India strong and united, we must tame the snake called caste hatred which is pouring out poison to our society.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata