Editor,
I wish to highlight the frequent power failure in our locality – Lumshyiap. The MeECL which provides power has failed miserably since it cannot address the long-standing problem. In fact, this week alone, power failure had reached such an abysmal low that we had to do without electricity for about 6-8 hours daily. We made frequent calls to the office located at Polo to find out the reason for the power outage but had to listen to vague excuses such as repair work and other mumbo-jumbo. The point is, if MeECL has to undertake repair work, then it is incumbent upon the officer in charge of the office to inform beforehand about such work vide a notice in the newspaper or by informing the headman so that the message can be relayed to the people? Personally I feel that the main reason for this continued power failure is the lack of technical skills on the part of the MeECL workforce.
Technical persons are actually supposed to tackle such problems without any hitch. The inefficiency of the Area Manager who is the main person responsible to the consumers also leaves much to be desired. As customers we pay our bills regularly and we expect better service from the MeECL. We should not be made to suffer just because of the ineptitude of the workforce that the Corporation employs in the office at Polo. If the technical staff cannot solve the problems of regular power supply they should be replaced immediately by others who are capable of delivering and thereby solving our long-standing problem.
Yours etc.,
K Thangkhiew.
Shillong- 1
Hinduism does not preach untouchability
Editor,
Hats off to Avantika Sharma for the letter, “Is India really free today?” (ST, August 18, 2018) where a very pertinent question has been raised, “Does freedom and patriotism even carry a meaning when the mind, the heart, the soul is biased?” Sri Aurobindo had said, “There are two Hinduisms; one which takes its stand on the kitchen and seeks its paradise by cleaning the body; another which seeks god, not through the cooking-pot and social convention, but in the soul. The latter is also Hinduism and is more enduring than the other.”
As a matter of fact, the narrow version of Hinduism, “which takes its stand on the kitchen” is creating all the bias, hatred and untouchability in our mindsets and not the Hinduism of Maha Upanishad that taught us the ideals of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam. Swami Vivekananda had warned us about the dangers of such religious prejudices. He said, “We are just ‘Don’t-touchists’. Our religion is in the kitchen. Our God is the cooking-pot, and our religion is ‘Don’t touch me, I am holy’. If this goes on for another century, every one of us will be in a lunatic asylum.”
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata
End of an era
Editor,
The sad demise of our former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee has cast a pall of gloom in the entire nation. A man known for his honesty, integrity and profound moral uprightness, will forever remain as an iconic role model for the present and future politicians of India to emulate. In spite of his Sangh background, he still followed the age old tradition of respecting the country’s rich plurality and diversity. His yeoman’s role in resolving Kashmir dispute by developing cordial relationship between India and Pakistan, should act as an inspiration for both the country’s politicians that disputes can be resolved and peace established, if they have the right effort and intention. Who can forget his famous lines on improving India-Pakistan relationship: “Itihas badal sakte hain, bhugol nahin” ie ‘One can change History but not Geography.’
On Indian democracy he said, ” No matter whichever government comes or goes, Indian democracy must thrive and prosper”. With the current state of political affairs in India, one wonders if it will ever be possible to see a politician and visionary of the stature of Atalji in the future.
Yours etc.,
Sadiq H.Laskar,
Guwahati.
Rights are not without responsibilities
Editor,
With rights come responsibilities; this is really a chicken and egg question as to which one comes first or to identify which of these is a priority. To me both rights and responsibilities are inseparable and cannot be seen as separate entities. It is difficult to enjoy any right without being responsible while exercising it. It is also difficult to be responsible if you are stripped of all your rights. Of all the rights that modern human society is proud of, I am most skeptical about the neo classical view of human rights and I find this to be truly intriguing. Would I like to have my human rights? Of course I do. However, the million dollar question is how responsible am I with my human rights. If a terrorist or an anti- social (like a rapist or a shooter) violates an individual’s right, Human Right activists around the globe are sympathetic towards the aggressor and are vocal about protecting his/her human rights. But no one cares for the plight of the victim or the community that suffered due to an individual’s irresponsible and unacceptable action. Hence I would like to ask whether that aggressor can enjoy any human rights while being irresponsible towards the society?
Yours etc.,
Saikat Kumar Basu
Lethbridge AB Canada