Editor,
In the column “Musings of a so-called Non-tribal” ST Oct 31, 2020, the word “Megher Alay” or the abode of clouds was not coined by Rabindra Nath Tagore but by Satya Prasanna Mukherjee, a lecturer in Calcutta University. The error is regretted.
Yours etc.,
Biswajit Ghosh,
Via email
Why has Umroi airport gone silent?
Editor,
“Umroi Airport” was seen to be busy last year till mid March 2020 when Indigo has started its daily flights to Kolkata and vice versa. Yes, the Airline has suspended services due to the pandemic that was prevailing these past few months, however the country as a whole has opened up the aviation sector and in most of the states, airports have been opened including our neighbouring Guwahati airport (LGBI International Airport).
Being a regular flier myself, I really don’t understand why Indigo has not started its operations again from Umroi and why has the Government been quiet on this? Going to Guwahati and taking a flight from there is tiresome and time consuming, when we already have an airport which was functioning very well in the past. Can I ask the Government and Indigo why this silence? At least keep the public informed about when we will have our regular flights again!
This silence from the State Government and Indigo is confounding. We need answers to this as soon as possible.
Yours etc.,
Dr Chanmiki Laloo,
Via email
Local language in the Assembly
Editor,
I fully endorse the suggestion in your column “Local languages should be part of Assembly debates” (ST Oct 30, 2020), which encourages use of local languages in the State Assembly. For all I know, such a provision has been in existence for a long time. The only issue is that if a member wishes to speak in local dialect, a translated version should be made available with the Speaker one day in advance. This is not practicable. Most debates in the House are spontaneous and therefore it precludes a lot of our MLAs from participating since they don’t have the power of articulation in English. That doesn’t mean they don’t have the capacity to debate. They tend to keep their mouths shut lest they are mocked at for their faulty English. From the officers’ gallery, I have witnessed debates in the Assembly for many years now. Often I tended to empathise with the less-articulate MLAs, mostly from the rural areas for their inability to participate or put across their points of view. For good reasons, they tend to get tongue tied.
A letter by Manbha Diengdoh in these columns made a mention of Mr Nit Shabong and some of the hilarious moments that he created in the House, not just because his English was rustic but also because of the passion and confidence with which he could make his submissions. Often, as the House would burst into laughter over his idiosyncrasies, he would go with great aplomb presuming that the audience was applauding him. However, I must admit that Mr Nit Shabong despite his apologetic English, conveyed his message and most times won the argument. Such was his power of rusticity that ministers and officers alike would take due note of the points made by him.
Coming back to the topic, although I endorse the idea, I would like caution all concerned that should we open the scope for debate in local languages—Khasi and Garo—much of the sting of the debate would be gone. By the time the interpreters convey the translated version, the speaker would have gone on to the next sentence. The spontaneity of the debate would be lost. Besides, a Khasi legislator may find it unappealing when the Garo uses his native tongue, and vice versa. Let us not forget that English is the link-language of Meghalaya. We should encourage members to speak in English so that they cultivate English language in order to remain familiar with laws, rules and what have you which are all in English. Speaking in local language should be a second choice because we may not have sufficient vocabulary to put across an argument incisively unlike in English.
All said and done, there should be provision for simultaneous translation in English, Khasi, Garo and if possible Hindi, too. I hope that the idea would be seriously considered by the Speaker when the Assembly shifts to New Town Shillong in its new avatar.
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request,
Via email.
Is the coal scam fake?
Editor,
I have been reading in the local dailies including yours about the so-called coal scam. Every day without fail there is some news or a comment on the issue. As a layman having little first hand knowledge about the matter, I am highly confused by allegations made by BJP and Congress against NPP and UDP who are on a denial mode. Which side of the story do I believe? We all expect the Opposition to pounce on the treasury bench for all lapses. It is also expected that the ruling side would defend the charges. And that’s what has been happening for the past year or so. Since the never-ending episode doesn’t appear to be heading in any direction, as a common man my question is why not resolve the matter once for all by allowing a third party investigation? Of course, only if the ruling side has nothing to hide!
Yours etc.,
Brilliancy Dohtdong,
Via email.
No future for Congress in Meghalaya
Editor,
I am amused to read the news item “Mukul rubbishes report of Cong MLAs ‘joining NPP'” (ST Oct 28, 2020). Our former chief minister who is also the leader of the opposition, has to rubbish the report because he has to keep the morale of his team high. Everybody in Meghalaya knows why he is denying the report that 11 Congress MLAs are seriously considering to leave the Congress because it has no future. The central leadership is rudderless. There is no decisive leadership. In fact, Sonia Gandhi is presiding over the end of the grand old party. Barring three states in the country, the Congress is out of power and worse, it has no hope of coming back. The same applies to Meghalaya as well. In such a scenario, the party MLAs will have to secure their own future. From what we understand here in Garo Hills is that most of the MLAs have already made up their minds to migrate to NPP which also requires experienced legislators to return to power with absolute majority in 2023.
Mukul’s denial reminds us of similar statements he made before the last election when A.L. Hek was planning to cross over to BJP. Therefore, his denial does not carry credibility. There are current rumours in Garo Hills that Mukul Sangma himself is considering to quit Congress and maybe head for BJP. It is further speculated that Prime Minister Modi has his eyes on Mukul Sangma. So the Congress in Meghalaya is more unpredictable now than ever before.
Yours etc.,
Jonathan C.Marak,
Tura.