Editor,
Recently while passing through the market area at Laitumkhrah, Shillong, I saw a poor child walking all alone down the road with tears in her eyes and heavy bags on both her hands. For one moment I thought of helping the child by easing her load and buying some chocolates for her. But the tussle between my heart and head was followed by the head as winner which reminded me the recent cases of mob lynching in our country. People are being killed, just because some people think them to be child lifters, thanks to social media, which should now be called anti-social media. At least 18 cases of lynching have been reported from Tripura to Maharashtra since May 10, the latest being the lynching of four men in Bidar district of Karnataka. These incidents caused deaths of almost 25 people including a transgender. Authorities say the killings are being inspired by text messages and videos shared on WhatsApp, which dominates the Indian social media landscape with over 20 crore users. The encrypted messaging system allows person-to-person or person-to-group communication, making it difficult for law enforcement to monitor or stop the spread of fake stories. The viral messages suggest that kidnappers are abducting children and harvesting their organs. Some of the messages purport to show video of these kidnappings, while others show images of dismembered corpses, and claim that the organ thieves are disguised as beggars. Law enforcement officials say there is no truth to the rumours, and that all of the victims have been innocent. Nevertheless, the vigilante killings continue to sweep through rural areas of the country, drawing widespread condemnation from lawmakers. Today only the Supreme Court condemned the lynching incidents and recommended to Parliament to enact a separate law to punish offenders participating in lynching. It also said that horrendous acts of mobocracy cannot be tolerated and cannot be allowed to become a new norm. The desire as well as the mass action leading to actual lynching seeks to radically undermine the need to respect the rule of law and thereby result in jeopardising the very future of democracy. People like me will think twice before helping a child on the road, instead of risking their lives. Human emotions are supremely endangered by emojified anti-social media and we to need to act immediately.
Yours etc.,
Jishnu Samanta
Shillong-3
Delayed NEHU results: Who’s to blame
Editor,
Who is at fault? Who is to blame? Students, teachers (examiners), or the NEHU administration? This is a recurring problem of NEHU and the poor students are the victims and at the receiving end. The students have paid their exam fees in time and have completed their exams three months ago. Three months is long enough to complete the corrections. The examiners no doubt are sleeping over the papers. Correction fees are paid I believe by NEHU as extras besides their high salary. So what is the problem? This is sheer irresponsibility and indifference on the part of teachers (examiners). They are simply playing with the future of our students who want to study elsewhere. They have forgotten their student days I suppose. I am afraid that the corrections might be done haphazardly due to urgency and pressure. NEHU as an authority seems to have no control over the teachers. I think strict action should be taken up on errant teachers who are responsible for this delay. I would request the Education department of Meghalaya to look into this matter in the interest of the student community.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request