Editor,
Influx from across the border and from other states into Meghalaya is not imaginary; it is real and it is continuing unabated. There are several categories of people who come into Meghalaya. Some are tourists who come for a brief period and go back, few come for short business trip and go back but majority come here in search of permanent business and in search of permanent jobs with a purpose to settle here for good. It is this category of people that the state should worry about. Every day young men in their early twenties come in hoards in search of jobs. They come by buses, sumos and trucks and descend into Shillong and are scattered all around the city and in sub-urban areas. Some of them land up in several pockets of Ri Bhoi, some have reached few pockets of West Khasi Hills, bigger number scattered in Jaintia Hills and still many more reached several parts of Garo Hills. They come in tens, hundreds and thousands. It is terrible. It is a silent invasion. They take up all types of jobs including odd ones. They are ready to sacrifice themselves to do any kind of job. They are engaged in construction works, take up carpentry works, go around the town and villages buying scrap; they peddle around, engage in selling foot-wear, second hand clothes, they work in hotels and restaurants and in other business establishments. They do all types of imaginary jobs under the sun. While some are trustworthy, the rest are scoundrels and anti-socials. Over time they inter-marry with locals and the dimension changes drastically including the demographic particulars of the society; culture is also changed drastically.
This is terrible and several pockets of Meghalaya have already undergone sea-change as a result of influx. What has happened to the indigenous people, their culture and traditions? Can they survive against this powerful onslaught? We treat influx very lightly and as a result we have to face dire consequences. Influx is real; it is a silent invasion and by the time we realise everything is gone. And this silent invasion is mostly from a particular community. What has happened in Assam is happening here in Meghalaya not because of NRC but despite it. Let us all wake up before it is too late. Where are the mechanisms to check influx? In Meghalaya we have none. Where are the laws that combat influx? Where is the ILP and where are the entry and exit points? Will the ILP and the entry and exit points be of any use? Where are the effective laws and where are the effective steps? Nothing till date! What is the MDA government doing? It’s time for the MDA government to walk the talk! It must also be pointed out here that all the agitations of the NGOs till date have not yielded any results in this direction. Come on NGOs, show some result at least in this aspect.
Yours etc,
Philip Marwein,
Via-Email.
Identity crisis in India
Editor,
Part 1, Article 1, of the Constitution of India states, “India that is Bharat, shall be a union of states.” The territory of India shall consist of: The territories of the states, the Union territories and any territory that may be acquired. The names of the States and the Unions have been described in the First Schedule. Thus, in one word, ‘India is One’ and not divided.
However, for a long time there have been debates, discussions and, in fact, criticisms too that India has too many Identity systems, and they are not consistently accepted. According to my knowledge and understanding, two kinds of Identity systems prevail in India – National and Regional. The three main National Identity documents which are mandatory to prove one’s identity could be EPIC, Aadhar or Passport. Documents accepted at the regional level could vary from Birth Certificate, Domicile, Permanent Residential Certificate, Service Identity Cards, Certificate by Development Committees, Land Patta, etc. according to the nature of work. There is not much problem regarding the national identity documents as EPICs which are widely accepted. My only concern is that out of these multi-regional identity documents there is a mystifying situation as to which document is enough to prove that a person belongs to that region.
Right now I am talking of Meghalaya and specifically, Tura. For instance, a person is born here and possesses a valid birth certificate. The other documents that he may possess are domicile, service identity card, certificate by development committee where they reside, and all educational certificates that prove a person’s ‘Regional Citizenship’. However, I have often observed that several offices and departments demand such citizenship or other identity documents from citizens which may not be available with them at that particular period of time. What is most disappointing is that these officials do not even provide people the opportunity to submit other alternative documents. The person may have provided several other similar documents, but if the only document demanded is not provided, then unfortunately the work remains undone. Isn’t this absurd?
What is, then, my status as a Citizen? Can just ‘one’ missing document decide my citizenship? Am I not an Indian? The concerned department would make no delay in terming me an ‘outsider’. For example, a person has an EPIC but no Passport; does he become a foreigner then?
I strongly protest the callous behaviour by such departments, and through your esteemed daily, I urge the Central as well as the State Governments to look into the matter and see that maximum benefit goes to their legitimate citizens. These unnecessary harassments must be stopped immediately. I also request the regional media to come forward, investigate and raise the issue through their respective platforms.
Yours etc,
Kalparaj Chakraborty,
Tura, West Garo Hills,
Privileges Committee for what?
Editor,
Royalton Ambrose once said, “Those who have true power share it, while those who hunger for power abuse it.” The Assembly Privileges Committee has abused its power by summoning a police officer for performing his duties diligently. First and foremost why should there be a Privileges Committee for public servants in the first place.? The Privileges Committee should in fact summon the MLA for being a law breaker instead of a law maker. Moreover this Committee should felicitate this officer for performing his duties efficiently without any bias which will in turn encourage other officers to perform their duties well. The Committee should understand that being an MLA does not confer Privilege or give power, it imposes responsibility.
Yours etc
Manuel Carey Lymba
Shillong – 8