Editor,
The denial of Visa to the South African Baptist Pastor was unnecessarily politicised by BJP opponents, mainly by the Congress party in Meghalaya, in order to draw political mileage from the present politically fluid situation by putting the blame squarely on the BJP led NDA government at the centre. I consider this absurd and with no logical base. One does not know the real reason/s as to (i) why he was initially denied a visa and (2) why was he the only one who was denied visa to come to India out of the thousands who had applied for it? After all, those in the opposition tend to find fault with everything to gain political mileage especially during an election. Sane people should shun this quick-fix cheap politics. I firmly believe that people, of Garo Hills and elsewhere are not as gullible as some tend to believe and I am sure they can see through all this nonsense.
In fact the sesquicentennial celebrations of the Baptist Church at Rajasimla was a grand success without the Pastor from South Africa and the Baptist Christian faith in Garo Hills has not lessened, in fact it grew more fervent and stronger in faith with the celebrations of the Sesquicentennial there. Of course the celebrations would have been more colourful and would have added dimension with the presence and living message from the Pastor but to me the Rajasimla celebrations did not lack anything. It has in fact instilled more hope, peace and unity among the Baptists of the Garo Hills.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via email
Stop politicising Christ!
Editor,
Those who live by extortion, blackmail , kidnapping, rape, killings, molestation , flesh trafficking. Illegal drug trade are themselves anti-Christian. It is no use dubbing BJP with that tag when we look at ourselves in the mirror of Christianity ! James Chapter 4:17 says, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it to him it is sin. “ I am not pro-BJP but I support a balanced view. Suppose you apply for a loan from a bank and your application is rejected due to an error in filling up of the loan application form, shall you call the bank anti-Christian and now during election time in course of filling nomination papers if there is an error while filling up of the nomination papers, shall we call Mr Ram Singh the DC or (Returning Officer) West Garo Hills as anti-Christian or anti Garo for rejecting the nomination papers? No we cannot!
Similarly for the Indian Consulate’s action on rejection of the preacher’s visa in South Africa shall we blame the Government in Delhi? It is important to view the issue in the proper perspective and not politicize it. Reportedly Mr K J Alphons, Union Tourism Minister had clarified that none of the senior Baptist leaders ever broached him on the subject of visa rejection (ref. ST report 2nd para of page 5 of Friday Feb 9th ) Slander just for the sake of gaining political mileage is a low blow and shall never stand scrutiny in the eyes of God Almighty come Judgment Day! We always pray; Let Your Will be done on earth and May Your Kingdom come etc. Did Jesus ever want a kingdom packed with extortion, blackmail kidnapping rape, killings, molestation, flesh trafficking. drug conduits and a few compromising churches? Is this what Christianity in most of us is all about? I’d rather like to be called an atheist than be such a hypocrite! Neither marathon temple hopping spree of 32 temples in Gujarat polls could help Rahul Gandhi the Congress president earn the Gujarat throne nor did Christmas Carol bashing in Rajasthan help the saffron party in Rajasthan and the MP by-polls. So what gives? The normative way of God! It shows that God has a panacea for all kinds of ailments including that of malaise in governance or misadventure! Let us try to be the kind of Christians that Jesus would want us to be here and not always live by the rhetoric anti-Christian while living and doing exactly the opposite of what a Christian’s life is supposed to be. Jesus never said in the Bible that HE came to save the Christians only nor did HE ever try to please people but preached and practiced the Truth and in fact almost all people hated HIM for exposing them for what they are ! If one is a true follower of Christ Jesus then he will never be a man-pleaser.! (Galatians Chapter 1 vs 10) Truly sorry for the hard plain talk
Yours etc.,
Sonaram M Sangma,
Tura.
Invalid ST certificates?
Editor,
I wish to inform you of an incident that occurred on February 5, 2018, when I went to file my nomination papers for the 18-West Shillong constituency. While inspecting my papers, the Returning Officer informed me that the Scheduled Tribe Certificate issued by the competent authority of the former composite United Khasi and Jaintia Hills District had become invalid and I was advised to obtain a fresh certificate which I, fortunately, could obtain since I filed my papers well before the deadline of February 7, 2018 for had I decided to file my papers on the last day itself, I am sure that I would not have been able to complete the process.
In this connection, what is perplexing is that the relevant notification which rendered the Scheduled Tribe certificate, issued by the United Khasi and Jaintia Hills District, invalid, has not been given wide publicity so as to enable the affected parties to do the needful as the implications in this regard are wide ranging.
For instance, if the above mentioned ST certificates have indeed become invalid, it logically follows that the possessors of such ST certificates (which I am sure number in the thousands) have ceased to be Scheduled Tribes and are, therefore, liable to be served with Income Tax Payment Notices.
Hence for the convenience of the affected parties, I request the concerned District authorities to kindly clarify on the above matter.
Yours etc., ,
Donald Shanpru
Shillong- 2