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Editor,
I congratulate the BJP President Earnest Mawrie for exposing huge corruption the District Councils in Jaintia Hills and Garo Hills. The charges prima facie appear genuine. More so, since there has not been any contradiction from the people accused of syphoning off large amount of funds for expediency. These funds would have got the people in the rural areas better infrastructure and would have contributed to the ease of living. But no, the District Councils which are meant to protect the interest of the indigenous people is itself the enemy to the cause. Unless there is convincing response to the specific charges, we the people would be free to draw our own conclusions.
It is significant that NPP President Dr WR Kharlukhi has called Mr Mawrie “tin pot dictator” and brushed aside the allegations as “unsubstantiated”. He has also rejected the idea of handing over the matter to the CBI on the ground that the BJP did not follow the “proper procedure”. This is ridiculous argument coming from the ruling party president. He sidetracked the real issue of corruption and instead attached the messenger. By calling names, instead of agreeing to investigate the matter, Kharlukhi has exposed his weak defence. He is aggressive in his statements just to cover up the issue.
Since the matter is on the public domain, and it relates to the welfare of the indigenous people, we shall watch how the alleged scams play out. With BJP not showing any desire to brush it under the carpet, it is unlikely that NPP will have respite from this crusade of BJP against its own government. Be that as it may, it is being wondered why can’t the Anti-Corruption Bureau or the Chief Vigilance Commissioner take suo-motu cognisance and register a case?
Yours etc.,
Evanstar Sohliya,
Shillong-2.
Evils of Reservation
Editor,
Demography-based reservation in crucial sector of education jobs and promotion is definitely a very retrograde step as many better ranked candidates have to yield place to that of much lower ones! In the process, very often quality takes a beating rendering great injustice to those with superior intellect who have missed the bus just due to the quota system. Social justice would be much better served if irrespective of demographic credentials students of underprivileged background get facilitated with free education, coaching and books. But thereafter admission to universities or job sector should be based on sheer merit i.e. rank and marks.
However, the real picture is absolutely different with more and more communities demanding reservation. And various political parties and governments are also sponsoring it with renewed zeal. Any aggrieved person holds every right to protest against reservation through peaceful, civilised means on the basis of principle, but targeting the benefitted individual is simply not done.
It must be remembered that the reserved individual has not framed the laws. The policy of reservation has been launched by the government and the concerned individual has merely taken the facility of quota system in an absolutely legal route. So principled fight against reservation should not ”inspire” anybody to spew venom against the benefitted individual! Moreover there is no reason to believe that the individual that benefitted through reservation, is necessarily inefficient or worthless. As a matter of fact I have intimate experience of witnessing from close quarters how many employees of reserved category work much more efficiently and sincerely than many of their general category counterparts! So though reservation policy is undesirable as many eligible candidates lose their entitled place under the sun, but it must also be admitted that intelligence or quality is not the sole monopoly of non-tribals of so-called upper caste.
In this context, the vulgar attack on respected Jadavpur University teacher Maroona Murmu is highly disgusting and condemnable. The concerned ”brave” students in social media have every right to post their opinion against reservation but hold absolutely no right to indulge in personal attacks against the history associate professor by invoking her tribal/reserved status and questioning her quality in the most barbaric fashion!
Since they have no better answer or logic to counter her post — ”academic year could not be more important than a student’s life,” the said students had no other option but to character assassinate her out of context just like typical ”nationalist” saffron Bhakts! It is indeed disgusting to witness the moral degradation of Bengal by drawing ”inspiration” from their ”role models” of culturally alien vintage so as to immerse with ”national mainstream”!
The administration should promptly nab the vitriol-spewing students and ensure exemplary punishment for insulting not a Scheduled Tribe but for abusing a free citizen of this independent, democratic land.
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chatterjee,
Via email
Poor Customer Care of Jio
Editor,
It has come to the notice and experience of many customers about poor quality of customer care, and increased charges by Jio, the mobile service provider. The Customer Care Centre personnel are rude, and do not have any intent to support the customer. They tend to limit their customer care by reeling off what is displayed on their system, which, in any case is known to the customer. They are also very rude, in addition to giving wrong advice.
Further, the quality of the Jio network has dramatically deteriorated, even in prominent locations. In the service centres of Jio, courtesy is missing. Moreover, Jio has also started compulsorily charging on certain items like SIM card, Jio app, etc.
Apparently, after occupying the top slot among the mobile service providers, Jio seems to believe that the customer can be taken for a ride with poor customer care.
Yours truly
D Bhutia,
Guwahati – 2
Congress in a glass house!
Editor,
In the last few days we have been reading in The Shillong Times an interesting development over alleged corruption in our District Councils. Ever since BJP President made public the charges of diversion and swindling of central funds, there has been a war of statements between the NPP and the BJP. So far no other political party has reacted or at least not made their stand public. This is not surprising. Normally, in a democracy the opposition remains on its toes to pounce on the ruling side for the drop of a hat. And there is a serious charge levelled by a ruling coalition partner against the opposition Congress’ principal rival, and yet there is complete silence from the national party. It reflects on the state of affairs of the Congress which is rudderless at the moment. Is it because the Congress which ruled the state and the District Councils all these years is equally guilty of turning a blind eye to corruption in the State? Indeed, if you are sitting in a glass house, you cannot throw a stone at others!
Yours etc.,
Samuel Lyngdoh,
Via email
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