Editor,
I have been a direct beneficiary of most of the Departments of NEIGHRIMS. Medicine , Surgery , Orthopedics , etc. They are all excellent. A more critical case that I wish to stress here is the Cardiology Department. What is happening regarding the administration under the present Director in NEIGHRIMS, poses an imminent danger to the future of NEIGHRIMS. It pains me deeply.
The vision document of NEIGHRIMS says, “ To be a Premier Tertiary Referral Health Care Destination for the entire North-Eastern Region with State-of-the-Art Technology, Medical Education, Training and Advanced Research Facility in Specialty and Super-Specialty services and become the Nation’s and the Region’s Pride.” The Director’s message also says “….It has been designed as a Postgraduate Medical Institute in the lineage of AIIMS, New Delhi and PGIMER, Chandigarh..”. The philosophy behind NEIGHRIMS is indeed very profound .
I had invasive procedure done in the Cardiology Department in NEIGHRIMS because I had an unquestionable faith in its professionals. The professionalism and facilities are at par with AIIMS Delhi or anywhere in the developed world which as a diplomat from India I have had the privilege of being exposed to, both professionally and personally. I feel that the present affairs in NEIGHRIMS have adversely impacted the morale of the Cardiology Department in and has percolated down to me. I need to go for regular check- ups. So leave the super-specialty of the Department alone. No meddling around further , please!
For sub-juniors in an institution to rise up against the Head of an Institution reflects very poorly on the leadership qualities of the concerned Director. Is all this in consonance with the vision document of NEIGHRIMS? The Central Government, Ministry of Health, New Delhi needs to intervene urgently. All the State Governments in Northeast have to intercede. Particularly, the Government of Meghalaya needs to be more involved. The public of Meghalaya have a vital health stake in the incremental advancement and success of NEIGHRIMS besides proprietary claim. Otherwise, there may be a need for a ‘Save NEIGHRIMS Campaign.’
Yours etc.,
Rudi Warjri,
Via email
Shameful defence of a rapist
Editor,
The article written by Prem Chandra titled, ‘A bishop Franco in all of us,’ (ST Sep 26, 2018) reeks of misogyny which is an offshoot of patriarchy. The writer is trying his utmost to defend the Catholic Bishop for his misdeeds and for violating the vow of celibacy which he had taken on embracing the priesthood. This is a classic case of male solidarity and victim-shaming which is common in India. When a man commits rape then he has to acquit himself by saying that the woman tempted him; pretty much the Adam and Eve story where Adam is seen as being innocent and without guile and was seduced by a woman. If Franco is burning with passion he should have left the priesthood which many priests have done and got married to any woman he chooses to. To rape is a crime and for a priest to do so is unpardonable. That a person can even defend such an act and label journalists and others who comment on this subject as being obsessed with salaciousness and sex is offensive to say the least.
What is happening in Kerala, should in fact, be the subject of debate across the country. Look at the manner in which the nuns the nuns are being punished for daring to protest against the rape of a sister nun by Franco. Kerala might have good economic indicators but socially it is steeped in the evils of patriarchy. It is good that such grievous acts are now out in the open. Who knows how many more nuns are suffering silently because they dare not protest.
Yours etc.,
AK Nongrum,
Via email
Small-minded journalism
Editor,
Just when we think that the quality of public discourse is changing for the better along comes an article like “A Bishop Franco in all of us”. In one fell swoop Mr. Prem Chandran has managed to stereotype and denigrate politicians, the media, the church, Christians, Muslims, Hindus and the youth of the country. Only a collection of Trump tweets could perhaps match this journalistic performance.
All right thinking people will sympathise with the nun. After all in most cases of sexual exploitation, a power hierarchy is at play. There are many examples of this: teacher-student, adult-child, boss-subordinate etc. What chance does a lowly nun have against a bishop? Yet Mr. PC (who is anything but), accuses the nun of being a consensual partner in her victimhood. It’s not satire or even black humour. It’s plain misogyny, the kind that we see every day, but do not expect from responsible journalism.
His conclusions are so simplistic and casual. Statements like, “Hypocrisy is inbuilt in the Indian psyche” damns the entire country. There is more, “Hinduism…sets itself against all acts of pleasure”, and “The mental growth of the youths (sic) in other societies, be it in the east or west is far higher (than Indian youth”. “Muslim youths remain active till about midnight…Hindu youths, as I know, dutifully retire to sleep by 10 at night”. This know-it-all writer has no need of surveys, science or common sense.
There is no redemptive value in this article. He hopes to attract readers by putting Bishop Franco’s name in the title, something that he accuses the media (whom he calls ‘morons’) of doing. I can live with idiocy but not bigoted idiocy. Please blacklist this ‘writer’ or assign him some other topics.
Glenn C. Kharkongor