Editor,
Apropos the letter by Jyotirmoy Prodhani regarding the use of school buses by all schools in Shillong I and many others are in complete agreement with him. Indeed, school buses should be made mandatory for Shillong schools. As far as I can remember, there had been many meetings between the government’s agencies and the heads of institutions in previous years for starting the bus service but so far this has not yielded any results. I am a teacher and I drive to school daily and it has become a nightmare to drive in the morning hours especially if I happen to start after 7:30 AM. I live in Madanrting and it takes almost 45 minutes to reach Don Bosco daily.
I remember when we were doing our Masters degree at NEHU, Mawlai, it was very convenient for us because bus service was very efficient not only for me but for everyone in around Shillong city. Can the government come out with some plans similar to the routes followed by NEHU buses? I feel this will help in solving traffic jams to a considerable extent
Yours etc.,
Avanti Mary Jyrwa,
Via email
Church’s statement
Editor,
Apropos the report, “Church Cautions against sale of votes” (ST March 29,2019) I am very glad that the church has come out from its comfort zone to openly speak out against the evil perpetrated by the politics of the day. I am also gratified that the Church has asked the MPs of North East to be united in one voice to take up issues of the region unitedly for the overall growth of the region. It has also advised them what to do with regards to many other areas of concern which they know and are fully aware of. But I am very disappointed that the Church has failed to exhort voters of the region as to what type of leaders and candidates to vote for. This is very important because the polling date is knocking at our door and voters need advice and guidance from powerful organs like the church.
Yours etc.,
Philip Marwein,
Via-Email.
Rahul’s final assault on poverty
Editor,
While unveiling the centre-piece of the Congress party’s manifesto for the up-coming general elections, Rahul Gandhi on March 25 last pledged that the poorest 5 crore families or 25 crore people of the country will directly get assistance of Rs 72,000 per annum in the bank accounts of their wives under the Congress’s proposed Minimum Income Guarantee Scheme. Rahul Gandhi described the proposal as a “final assault on poverty in the 21st century and promised 20 percent poorest families will be directly given Rs. 72,000 annually by the central government if his party is voted to power.
However, the Congress party president has not clarified how this 25 crore poorest people would be identified and picked up from various states & UTs. Has the Congress party made a population survey to identify the poorest 5 crore families/ 25 crore people? Nor has the Congress president indicated what percentage (pro-rata basis) from among the rural poorest of 73% & urban poorest of 27% of the total Indian population would be chosen. In a country of 130/137 crore (likely to be firmed-up as 1.37 billion in 2019) hardly about 18-19% of the population would get the amount. This is an open declaration of another form of dole/freebie in the name of MIGS~”Nyay” scheme for the poor and is an exposure of hidden agenda, included in the election manifesto, and constitutes breach of election code of conduct after declaration of the election schedule by the Election Commission of India.
Considering the past record of promising the moon to win elections the Congress party has attained the zenith of infamy for their freak/fake promises and pledges only on the eve of elections invariably during their inept rule of seven decades (including ten years of UPA rein up to 2014) of the country. But the people of India are well aware of their failures to implement pre-poll promises that are on record. The cumulative effect of growth of educated unemployment of the present-day youth which cannot be solved by wielding the magic- wand in the twinkling of an eye, is a glaring example.
Rahul Gandhi’s announced scheme of 20 per cent families belonging to the poorest category will be given Rs. 72, 000 each annually as minimum income will bust the fiscal discipline, create strong incentives against work culture and will never be implemented. This, if at all implemented, would also affect the work culture and create a group of idle and work-averse population who may be further exploited as an additional “vote-bank”.
Recently in a TV channel interview with journalist Arnab Goswami, Rahul Gandhi was seen fumbling while answering questions and had admitted that he had neither been to Cambridge nor to Harvard University ever. It is not known whether Rahul Gandhi, the erudite scholar, had studied economics in London School of Economics or any other University of Germany or France.
About the Rafale Defence deal Rahul Gandhi appears to be unaware of the basic concepts and fundamentals of price escalation factor (at least 10% per year from 2001) and the technological improvement and sophistication of the current version of the latest Rafale Aircraft model. False propaganda ensuing from lack of scientific and technical knowledge ,of course, is natural for a dynastic scion aspiring for the post of Prime Minister and hailing from a family which has not known to have contributed an engineer or a technologist or an economist so far.
Yours etc.,
Samares Bandyopadhyay,
Advocate, Kolkata High Court