Editor,
Apropos your brilliant editorial, ‘Kayo-punch or panic’ (ST January 25, 2019), Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s entry into active politics is not only a de jure recognition of the de facto reality but also establishes the fact that the Congress party is a feudal dynastic party. Some other regional parties like the Yadav family of UP, Chandrababu Naidu family of Andhra Pradesh CRS of Telengana, DMK of Tamil Nadu and Lalu’s RJD of Bihar too had completed their apprenticeship training under the aegis of the Congress Party during a decade of UPA rule at the Centre led by Congress to learn the fundamental arts of nepotism, involving in innovative money laundering deals and devouring kick- backs from various scam-tainted contracts in their respective political playgrounds.
The recent induction of Priyanka to the party and her appointment as a General Secretary for Eastern UP is a New Year’s gift to her as Rahul himself got the post of Congress President undemocratically from his mother in keeping with the traditional dynastic dominance that streamed forth from the regime of Mr Jawaharlal Nehru. The Indian Constitution does not have any provision or Article that the post of Prime Minister of the country is reserved for continuance by dynastic descendants perenially whether at the Centre or in the states. So the act of induction of Priyanka for electoral management is a deliberate attempt to contain power in the grip of a particular dynasty. It also exposes a lack of confidence in Rahul Gandhi to deliver electoral victories.
Two clones may be similar in appearance or in mirror reflection but cannot be genetically same as far as capability is concerned. Capability and caliber do not essentially get carried through genes. Whereas Virat Kohli is being compared to Sachin Tendulkar in terms of their cricketing record and achievements, politics is a different ball game. It is too early to compare Priyanka Gandhi Vadra with Indira Gandhi without observing her performance. The “Gandhi-Card” may not click every time nor can it be a perennial trick played on the voters!
Yours etc.,
Samares Bandyopadhyay,
Advocate, Kolkata High Court
Baba Ramdev & India’s population problem
Editor,
The recent comments of Baba Ramdev on the need to address the challenge of India’s population growth is welcome. Though he has created a controversy on the means of population control, the fact of the matter is that this serious problem of the country is out of public discourse after the emergency days. India is sitting on a time bomb, with its limited resources for the growing population. With just about 2% of the world’s geographical area, India is home to over 15% of the world’s population. Many of India’s problems can be traced essentially to its unchecked and burgeoning population. It is time the nation and its citizens woke up, and found ways and means to address the issue collectively.
Yours etc.,
A Bhuyan
Nagaon, Assam
Meghalaya and the CAB
Editor,
The Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) was introduced in the Lok Sabha on July 15, 2016 seeking to amend the Citizenship Act, 1955 to provide citizenship to illegal migrants from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan who are non-Muslims. The BJP had promised during the 2014 General Election to grant citizenship to persecuted Hindus in the above countries. This Bill will go against the cultural, religious, social and linguistic identity of the Garo, Khasi, Jaintia people of Meghalaya and will also affect their connection to their land, culture, spirituality, mythology and ancestry.
To all political parties including the NPP, UDP, HSPDP, and PDF let me say that protests alone are not enough to oppose the CAB. The Centre has to know that Meghalaya is serious about opposing the Bill. Most politicians and NGO leaders are playing games with the innocent people to enrich themselves and enslave others. They care more about money than the people. The Seng Bhalang including those from the Garo, Jaintia and Khasi community must come together under one umbrella with the intention to oppose the Bill seriously and to totally remove it from Meghalaya and the whole of North East India.
The Govt of India may recognize the people here as rightful citizens and owners of their land but it is also clear that legal recognition does not mean the rights, territories, resources and cultures are also simultaneously respected. The people of Meghalaya should hit the streets to march against the CAB. This is not the time to be silent but a time show that we cannot allow a Bill to be passed which will ultimately turn the indigenous tribals into minorities in their own homelands.
Yours etc.,
Batskhem Mawlein
Shillong-2