Editor,
HS Shylla, the incumbent CEM, KHADC has the uncanny knack of creating waves right from his youth when he was the leading figure in social movements and for that matter he has won admiration and greeted with howls of derision too from among the people at large. It bears recall that when Shylla was the then CEM of KHADC in the past session he had taken on unprecedented measure in encouraging the Hynniewtrep family to produce many children – a policy which is in sharp contrast to the National Family Control Programme. No wonder, many had come down heavily on Shylla for such a radical idea. However, I for one, had visualized the futuristic wisdom of such a vision when viewed from the context of what is currently occurring in Western Europe where the rate of fertility amongst the European women has plummeted, thereby leaving a vacuum for hordes of people from the third world countries of Afro-Asian origin to cause unabated influx to the affluent European nations. I’m afraid that in less than no time the indigenous European whites will be reduced to a minority themselves, as a consequence.
Be that as it may, it appears that Mr Shylla, as the present CEM of KHADC is having a tryst with destiny by passing the Khasi Lineage Bill, 2018 thereby stirring up a real hornets’ nest and reportedly provoking a few women associations not excluding some of our sophisticated elites to bay for his blood. Mr Shylla must have been painfully aware of the fact that there has been wide-spread mixed marriages between Khasi ladies and non tribal males, where such wedlock has more often than not ended in exploitation in the field of trade and other such social benefits unavailable to the non-tribals. Perhaps, this Bill in question may not face overwhelming and persuasive detractors but nonetheless Shylla has unwittingly unleashed a wake – up call on the entire Hynniewtrep society. And it goes without saying that Shylla’s boldness in this defining venture may be comparable to what the late MN Majaw, as a Revenue Minister of Meghalaya had done in passing the much desired Land Transfer Act which has definitely gone a long way in safeguarding tribal land from being alienated. In fine, this letter is not intended to eulogize Mr Shylla but for us to see the hard facts concerning the Hynniewtrep society in its true perspective.
Yours etc.,
Jerome K. Diengdoh
Shillong- 2
Travesty of Indian Independence
Editor,
On August 15, 1947 at the stroke of midnight, India got freedom from the 200 years of oppressive British rule. The Freedom we got was a mix of joy and sorrow as the Nation was divided into India and Pakistan due to difference of religion! While half of India was beaming with joy, celebrating Independence, another half was fighting with poverty, homelessness and fear of death from fellow Indians due to communal riots that followed the Partition. In spite of all the bitterness, our founding fathers vouched for a united and progressive India, where the weakest of the weak would be able to live a dignified and productive life. But even after seven decades of Independence , we still have to bear the scourge of communalism, casteism, corruption, etc., which seem to greatly nullify all the effects of the tremendous economic and scientific advances we have made so far. Here a paradigm shift in our thoughts and actions is needed if we truly want to see a progressive and unified India in future. To quote Pandit Nehru’s ‘Tryst with Destiny,’ “We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action”.
Yours etc.,
Sadiq H.Laskar,
Guwahati.
Clarification
Editor,
The news item titled “Patients suffer due to tussle of doctors at NEIGRIHMS” (ST Aug 7, 2018) needs clarification as the doctor concerned whose name appeared in the news has represented to Director NEIGRIHMS clarifying her position regarding the news report on her refusal to take up the Urology Operation. In her letter to the Director, NEIGRIHMS, she has written that on the date mentioned she was actually allotted other responsibilities. Dr. Rajini Thabah has stated in her letter, “This false accusation in the media has disturbed not only me but my entire family. Such defamatory news has resulted in intense mental turmoil especially as I am a lady. I wish to bring to your notice that in the past also there was an effort to tarnish the image of female anaesthetists of the institute through an item published in the same publication.” The administration of the Institute has time and again written to the Editor of The Shillong Times to kindly verify facts before publishing it in the media as such news items tarnish the image of the Institute and instigates the public against the employees who work tirelessly in the interest of patient care.
Yours etc.,
Dr K K Pandita
Public Relations Officer
NEIGRIHMS
Editor replies: We have our own sources of finding out the anomalies in the Institute and reporting them without the need to go to the Director to confirm our stories. If patients have a genuine grouse, it is our duty to give ear to them rather than to the higher ups in the Institute who will always come up with alibis. If a Urologist has scheduled an operation and that is being rescheduled for whatever reasons that is not the fault of the patient but of the Institute and such fault ought to be rectified.