Editor,
Covid19 and Diwali firecrackers do not go together. Our weakness in the respiratory system due to pollution will make us much weaker and more susceptible to the pandemic.
Moreover, the festival of light – Laxmi Puja – represents the victory of righteousness and knowledge over vices and ignorance; good over “evil” and light over darkness. Therefore, we should not let the evil of Covid bring the darkness of death upon humanity. The Government of Meghalaya should consider banning all toxic firecrackers in this coming Diwali. In view of the pandemic, Delhi, Odisha, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Sikkim governments have already completely/partially banned fireworks. This is a very welcome move.
I further add, there will be no better time than this DIWALI amidst the coronavirus to take a serious pledge to restore our pale and sickly environment. We have to learn from the pandemic that has devoured so many lives and brought so much sorrow. God’s creation should always be in bloom in every respect. Our senseless greed and consumerism have “toxified the environment”. Have the alarm bells not already been pressed by the ozone layer and melting snow? If we want to live a healthy life we must stop playing with fire.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong
Sardar Patel remembered
Editor,
Prime Minister Modi paid rich tributes to Sardar Vallabhai Patel on his birth anniversary at the place where the World’s tallest statue – the Statue of Unity of Sardar Patel stood tall, shooting high unto the blue sky hovering over the serene blue lake of Kevadiya. The statue was constructed by Chinese engineers and their rank and file at the cost of Rs 3000 crores. It is copper- jacketed to fight rusting. Those were the happy peaceful era of Chini – Hindi Bhai Bhai. The Statue of Unity depicts the gratitude of all Indians for the extreme sacrifice of Sardar Patel in his fight against British colonialism under the Satyagrahi, M.K Gandhi who was assassinated in January 1949.
For Meghalayans, Sardar Patel had played a major role in the matter of Accession of Khasi states to the Indian Union. He took part in the sub Advisory Committee meeting held at Shillong on June 10, 1947, 2 months and 5 days before Independence to listen to the views of those led by Rev JJM Nichols Roy. Rev Roy wished to be clubbed with India and not East Pakistan.
On the other hand Vol No: LXIII No.82 SHILLONG, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2020 TO THE EDITOR the other party comprised the native chiefs whose powers and rights had been severely eroded by the British. I don’t understand why U Wycliffe Syiem did not continue his resistance to anything that endangered the Syiemship. Be that as it may, one can never be disappointed with Rev Nichols Roy. It was 1947 and we could not have expected our leaders, however patriotic they may be, to have a telescopic eyesight into 2020.
Let us not lose sight of Sir Winston Churchill’s fears conveyed to one contemporary historian Mr Hussain of possible invasion from the North. And only 15 years later the fear of Churchill was right in front of our eyes. So let us not dabble in history but rather reconcile to our fates as a tiny tribe.
Yours etc.,
Manbha Diengdoh,
Via emai
Meaning of inclusive governance
Editor,
I refer to the thought provoking letter “On good governance and Meghalaya” by DS Singh (ST Sept 30,2020). Personally I am indebted to the writer for bringing home what it means to have “good governance.” I endorse all of what he said and would like to dwell a bit on the term “inclusive”. The word “inclusive” is the adjective of “inclusion”(noun). The dictionary meaning of the word “inclusion” is: “the action of including or the state of being included”. The antonym of “inclusion” is “exclusion”.
I Google checked to find this explanation: “the practice or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalised such as those who have physical and mental disabilities and members of minority groups.” Coming to the context of good governance in Meghalaya, the moot question is: Does the Government follow an inclusive policy? Or is it becoming increasingly exclusive? To answer this question honestly, we need to delve into the past. When Meghalaya was born, we had 80 per cent tribals and 20 per cent non-tribal Meghalayans.
The governments in the formative years would pronounce in their official policies and documents that there would be inclusiveness in all respects. In the Governor’s Address (which is a policy statement of the government of the day) placed in the Assembly year after year, the government would categorically state that “the legitimate interest of all sections (meaning non-tribals) would be safeguarded.” This was the practice until the late nineties when this policy statement was suddenly dropped. Not that it mattered practically to the non-tribals. In any case, they were being denied their basic rights.
It is also an undeniable fact that non-tribal population today has fallen to below 10 per cent because Meghalaya Government had long back decided to jettison the inclusive policies signaling that it was not prepared to treat the non-tribals fairly and equally. When you have so much of policy discrimination against ethnic minorities and make them feel like pariahs, it would lead to disharmony and even racial hatred. These words may sound harsh but then is there any other way I can tell the Meghalaya Government that ‘your governance is so abysmal that you will find “India Today” magazine placing you at the bottom of the heap.’
Yours etc.,
Suraj Sarma
Via email.