Editor,
The CEO Meghalaya had organized a demonstration for various applications (Apps) such as Suvidha, Samadhan, etc. with regards to the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly election 2018, few days before the filing of nominations. However, as per the Suvidha website it appears that the Congress Candidate of 16 East Shillong has not taken any approval for holding Public Meetings in the Constituency whereas approvals for other parties are reflected in the application for public meetings. On contacting the Returning Officer for clarification he had cited the following reasons: (a) that the Congress candidate had taken approval prior to filing of nomination which was done online (b) that the Suvidha application is outdated and needs to be upgraded. This is strange as the App was launched recently and demonstration was given few days before nomination. From the statements of the Returning Officer (Mr. Kharmalki i/c 16-East Shillong) which is that approval was taken before filing of nomination, this begs the questions as to how approval is granted even before finalizing of candidature? This means that if 5 candidates are aspiring for a party ticket from 16-East Shillong all of them can seek approval and be granted permission for holding public meetings! Imagine what a mess this would cause to the portal. Secondly, he says the Congress candidate had applied online. If this was done online the information would be in the database and the approvals for the Congress party’s public meetings will surely reflect in the Suvidha application. Thirdly, he says “the application has errors.” If this is true how is it possible to pass entry for the other two candidates of the constituency but not for the Congress candidate? This sounds like a very strange and selectively working software, showing that there is major failure in implementing the online applications and a waste of public money.
Continued efforts to contact the Returning Officer by telephone were met with no response after the complaint was lodged with them. This prompts us to question the sincerity of the Election Commission with regards to the Model Code of Conduct. The concerned public demands immediate clarification from the Election Commission as to why the permission of the Congress Party from 16 – East Shillong for holding public meetings did not appear in the Suvidha App which we consider a serious dereliction of duty and breach of public trust. If the Election Commission cannot handle this App then how can we expect the Commission to protect the VVpat without glitches? We demand a clear and immediate explanation from the Election Commission with regards to this case.
Yours etc.,
R Sawian,
Via email
A despicable act!
Editor,
The brutal and horrific killing of the NCP candidate late Jonathone N Sangma and members of his entourage is highly condemnable in a society which we all believe has peace and sanity. Unfortunately those behind the murder and the ones who perpetrated the act are insane and deserve no mercy. Political election in this state has suddenly changed all of a sudden with the entry of militancy backed-political nexus be it in the Khasi Hills or Garo Hills. Merely asking for a CBI probe is a political ploy. Instead the NIA should step in and go to the root of the entire episode. The question is, does no political party have the courage to call a spade a spade and tackle this unholy nexus or are they just showing knee-jerk reaction to this unfortunate incident which snuffed out the innocent lives of good people?
Yours etc…
Dominic S. Wankhar
Via email
Will the Congress stop BJP-bashing?
Editor,
Not a day passes without the Congress finding fault with the BJP. In fact, the more the Congress lambasts the BJP the more popular the BJP becomes. If the Congress stops talking about BJP, the Party will fade from public memory. It is better for the Congress to have a good sleep rather than have sleepless nights by engaging the BJP. The Congress should keep its house in order so that it may bounce back to power in 2019 Lok Sabha general elections. Also the Congress ought to remember that BJP is not a force to be reckoned with in Meghalaya for the time being.
It is yet to reach that stage when it will be suitably reckoned with because at present even in the present general elections it is not faring well. With much luck it may not even get five seats. So why worry about it? It will take another ten to twenty years for the saffron party to firmly get a foothold in Meghalaya.
It must be remembered that it took nearly 30 years for the Congress to establish its supremacy in Meghalaya because the indigenous people of Meghalaya considered the Party as an outsiders’ party or a non-tribal party in the same way that the BJP is also branded by the Congress and many others as a non-secular, anti minority, anti- Christian party and so on. So, leave BJP alone, let it take care itself. So also for the BJP, let Congress alone, let it take itself. I appeal to both the BJP and Congress, please stop this mud- slinging and trading of charges and thereby spreading divisiveness among the people here.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marweiñ,
Shillong