Editor
Had Hitler been alive today, he would have probably flown down from Germany to come and congratulate our “Wise Saviour of the Jaitbynriew,” Madeng and his fellow legislators for introducing and unanimously passing The Khasi Lineage Amendment Bill, 2018. ‘Bravo!’ he would say, “the purity of a race must be protected at any cost”. But how far back do we go to trace the purity of a race? As Albert Thyrniang stated in his article, ‘Khasi Lineage Amendment Bill – Thoughtless Proposition (ST July 31, 2018) Khasis with the clan name prefixed with “Khar” are in all likelihood a result of mixed marriages. Are they therefore by the Hitler Bill’s logic of purity of the race, not Khasis? Surely it is common understanding that a Bill or any law will not stop two people from uniting in holy matrimony! I am sure the KHADC is aware of this. So what happens to an offspring of such a marriage after, God forbid , or like they say in Khasi, ” Phuit ka Sabuit,” Hitler’s Bill becomes law. Let’s say a child is born of a Khasi mother and a non- Khasi father, but they follow the Khasi tradition and takes the mother’s clan name and the child is brought up a Khasi, reads and writes Khasi, follows all Khasi customs and traditions like any other “PURE KHASI.” He then grows up and marries a Khasi girl. Now according to the Hitler Bill’s logic, he is not a Khasi and the Khasi girl, he marries also no longer remains a Khasi and so too their offspring. Then the Khasi girl who marries such an offspring in the future will also no longer be Khasi. Now a 100 years or so later, we will then have a jait BUAM and MARBANIANG etc., who is a KHASI ST, and also a jait BUAM and MARBANIANG and so on KHASI NON- ST.” Our beloved MPSC will have to add one more category in its forms to be filled up by candidates- KHASI, GARO, GENERAL, OBC and “KHASI NON – ST”. Bravo Madeng! What a master stroke indeed! You will have managed by your eccentricity and chauvinism to divide our society into two classes where none existed before. And as for your claims of such mixed marriages being used for economic exploitation, it is your Institution which has failed miserably over the decades to protect and uplift the tribal interest by setting up traditional schools etc., as mandated by the Constitution. Shame on you! Phuit ka Sabuit!
Yours etc.,
Jason Myrom,
Via email
Religion & Culture
Editor,
Apropos the article, ‘A reality check on the caste paradox,’ by Sonie Kharduit (ST July 7, 2018), the purpose of this rejoinder is not to criticize but to clarify. The writer needs to know the true meaning of Christianity before leveling charges. Very briefly a Christian is a follower of Jesus Christ. The Bible teaches “To love each other for love is of God and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God, 1 John 4:7. Verse 11 of same chapter says, “Beloved if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Hate or so called hate speech is not the true colour of Christianity for Christianity is not a religion but a relationship with the savior Jesus Christ. It is life in Christ. Jesus says “The words I speak to you are spirit and they are life” John 6:63.
The writer alleged that Christians regard others as pagans who stand condemned. Again Jesus says in John 3:17, “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved”. There is Heaven, there is Hell. A person will be saved or condemned depending on his life and work.
Again, based on merit the word pagan needs clarification. As per the Oxford dictionary, a pagan is a person who holds his/her religious beliefs other than those of the main world religions. So according to this explanation paganism is a classification of what one believes. It is not a term of contempt. The expression as given by the writer against Christians was one sided and not desirable.
Another point the writer emphasized was that Christians have to give up culture including the Khasi/Pnar dance. No, we do not have to give up culture. There is no objection for Christians to wear traditional dresses and apparels and to dance. Only we are taught not to practise rituals like animal sacrifice, knia syiar, shat pylleng etc. The reason is because Jesus Himself has become a living sacrifice for us, once and for all and by faith our sins are forgiven (John 1:29, Heb 9:11-14). We are Christians but in our culture, food, dress, family relationships and other indigenous life – styles we are the Hynniewtrep people. But what we follow in faith and for the salvation is the Bible. Again this is the right of a person. It is a choice and even guaranteed by the Constitution of India Article 25(1). If culture is based on religion it is an infringement on the fundamental Right of every citizen which includes right to worship etc. Let us not mix culture and one’s faith or for that matter culture and religion. A person has to decide and find the way to salvation of the soul and forgiveness of sins. Culture cannot be tagged with salvation. Christians do not marginalize traditional dresses and dances and we use them in school functions and other festivities. Those who do not embrace Christianity are simply called non-believers. That’s all, because there has to be clear distinction.
There is no derogatory or inflammatory expressions as seen in your columns off and on. Regarding admissions in Christian institutions let us view the matter logically and judiciously. Any institution will not come up unless it is based on the vision, hard work, capital investments like land, money, talents and the combined efforts of all those involved in the project. It is only natural and an accepted universal fact that preference will be for those students connected with the organisers/founders. Let us not be parochial. To level that Christians get first preference into these Christian run institutions is baseless. As a matter fact many Christian students are being refused admission in Christian institutions if they do not fulfill other criteria also. I studied in Mawkhar Christian High School (1959-1965). There were many non-Christians students who got admission without any grievances. Those friends are now well- placed in various jobs and assignments and our friendship continues. We recall the good old days with nostalgia.
Let us therefore view the problem administratively and bilaterally, not unilaterally. Due to the increase in student population every institution faces tremendous pressure on coping with the admissions. In such compelling circumstances every institution has to devise its own criteria to streamline the admission process.
In this matter the government should step up efforts to establish more educational institutions to resolve the crises. On the other hand we have to salute the Christian missions for what they have done so far be it educationally, socially and in providing health care.
Yours etc.,
A.S. Mawlong,
Shillong-8