Editor,
This is with reference to the article “NEIGRIHMS: the withering away of a premier health and research Institute “ by Patricia Mukhim, (ST April 5, 2019). In the article Kong Patricia had raised some very pertinent issues relating to the crisis faced by NEIGRIHMS especially the current stand-off between the Resident Doctors of the institute and its Director Dr D M Thappa. I am a Governing Council member of NEIGRIHMS and I wish here to make some clarifications over some of the remarks made in the above article.
Firstly I would like to clarify that the members of the Governing Council namely Kong Wansuk Syiem, Anil Pradhan and myself have not, as alleged, remained blind nor indifferent to the ongoing crisis within NEIGRIHMS. Actually we had taken note of it when it first came to our notice a year ago and had taken positive steps , vide our letter of 11th May 2918, to appraise and caution the Union Minister Health and Family Welfare and the Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Govt of India with copy to the Minister Health, Govt of Meghalaya, of the brewing tensions within NEIGRIHMS with a request that remedial steps be initiated to resolve the problem.
Among the many points raised were (a) the absence of Governing Council meetings since 2015 and the urgent need for the same to address the disturbing issues of the institute (b) the apparent lack of administrative acumen and understanding in the dealings of the incumbent Director towards his staff which appears to be at the root of the problem (b) apparent lack of sensitivity by NEIGRIHMS top management towards simple basic human needs of faculty and staff and last but not least that all the above have contributed towards a vicious atmosphere within the working ambience of the institute and that Government intervention into the mater is urgently called for.
Unfortunately this note of caution of the Governing Council members from the region was met with a resounding silence from the Central Government. No remedial steps were taken to contain the rot that was tearing NEIGRIHMS apart. The rest is history and the crisis has only worsened. NEIGRIHMS dirty linen continues to be washed in public; throes of internal conflict continue to shake the hospital and the apathy of the Central Government towards the ills of the hospital continues unabated. For the record , the Council members have sent another letter of caution to the Central Govt with the hope that this time someone will listen.
Yours etc.,
Toki Blah
Member Governing Council NEIGRIHMS
No one is unintelligent
Editor,
The letter by Salil Gewali “Do not lay the country to waste” (ST April 8,2019) is heartening indeed. It has come in the nick of time. One thing I fail to agree is about the foreign awards given to our Prime Minister. Let us realise one fact that we the people of India are closer than those award giving countries. The award given by the people of India would be known only on the 23rd May 2019. How many of them are in line with the writer’s view and how many are not, will be known only then. One thing I would like to inform the writer is that in India there are no elites or non- elites. All, irrespective of their achievements in education whether Class V passed or M.A. passed are all equal and to level the people as disrespecting the ‘unintelligent’ is not fair. Everybody is intelligent. A tailor may know more about the sewing machine than what a doctorate in physics knows. So please do not charge any one as disrespecting the ‘unintelligent’. It is simply not acceptable in a democracy.
Yours etc.,
- Khyriem,
Shillong-14 .
Cow Vigilantism in Assam
Editor,
Apropos the news report captioned “Man beaten up for selling beef’, ST April ,10 ,2019 the video of Shaukat Ali which is being widely shared on social media after being beaten up by locals of Biswanath Charali, Assam on the suspicion of selling beef and was also forced to eat pork is proof that new India has failed to nail the gau rakshak thugs. These are now roaming around beating up people in the name of eating or selling beef at whims with scary impunity. The violent , triumphalist majoritarian dominance is on lurid display across this new India . As lynching threatens to grow into a national pandemic , Indian Muslims are learning to endure a sense of foreboding – a lurking , unnamed ,unspoken , everyday fear and this fear is growing in a permissive political environment . The politics of communalism never hesitates to put symbols it holds sacred to utilitarian use. In any supremacist project, majoritarian pride is incomplete without its obverse and perverse side , prejudice and paranoia against minorities . The diktat is clear minorities have to lose their identity or perish.
Yours etc.,
M Haq,
Via email
BJP, AGP, & CAB
Editor,
It is very disturbing to know that BJP has once again reiterated its stand on Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB), and is hell bent on reintroducing the Bill in Parliament and getting the same implemented if it comes to power. This is primarily with an eye for votes (in West Bengal, and some pockets in the North East parts of the country), and against the will of the people of Assam and the North Eastern region. What is even more perturbing is that the AGP, the regional party, that had severed its ties with BJP on this issue, has once again become a pre-poll partner of the ruling alliance. Post-poll , AGP can never say that it was not on the same page with BJP, as BJP’s election manifesto clearly states its position.
BJP has once again proved that it is against the wishes of the public in general, and the Party would exploit the people of Assam and the North East to its own advantage. All like-minded pressure groups who had protested against the passing of CAB in Parliament, are now absolutely right in asking the electorate to vote against the Bill. The AASU, NESO, KMSS, etc should step up the pressure so that the nefarious designs of the BJP are defeated at all costs.
Yours etc.,
A Bhuyan,
Via email