Editor,
The ‘saviours’ of our state, namely the pressure groups which are suddenly so vocal about the ILP, have continually failed to stand up for the rights of our people whenever it was required. All through these years, our state has featured at the bottom half when it comes to calculation of economic progress. Now that our Khasi brothers and sisters are making steady progress, there is no support or empowerment from such ‘saviours.’ Moreover, do they even consult any stakeholders? Time and again our fellow rural farmers, who toil hard and were also affected bitterly by the pandemic, have made it known that they do not support such means and methods of persuasion of the pressure groups because it is detrimental to their livelihoods. Do our ‘saviours’ even listen?
The demands of pressure groups do not reflect what our society wants. For the common man, long-pending concerns of basic rights like education, health and employment still take precedence over anything else. This is not to say that preservation of culture is not important. But what is required much before that is establishing a self-sustaining ecosystem where we are able to produce sufficiently for our own needs. Only then can cultural preservation thrive in such an atmosphere.
But our ‘saviours’ have no time to understand this because all they require from time-to-time is an issue to protest over and gain some limelight. They have not created any tangible benefits for our people so far. Why must they still be seen as relevant?
Yours etc.,
Patrick Kurbah,
Via email
Gratitude to MeECL, CMD
Editor,
The MeECL Pensioners’ Association heaved a sigh of relief after the Chairman-Cum-Managing Director (CMD) of MeECL released the pension for the month of Oct, 2020. The Association hopes that as per his commitment and assurance in the last meeting held in his chamber the pension for the month of November, 2020 will also be released within this week before Christmas Festival.
The Association expresses its deepest gratitude and immense thankfulness to CMD, Arunkumar Kambhavi for being a man of not only words and promises but also of deeds and action. The Association indeed reposes full faith on him that henceforth pensioners will not suffer any tension due to inordinate delay of payment of monthly pension.
The Association wishes him good health and long life for all years to come.
Yours etc.,
B.S. Mawlong, Advisor
MeECL Pensioners
Association Shillong
Is India lucky to escape sanction?
Editor,
In the second week of this current month, the United States of America had deemed seven countries in the world which include Pakistan, China Iran and one of our nearest neighbours Myanmar, etc., as countries of ‘particular concerns’ as far as religious freedom for their citizens is concerned. These countries are accused of giving leeway to the systematic on-going violations against religious minorities. On the premise of such reports the United States government has in no uncertain terms warned the countries in question to mend their ways or face outright sanctions. It was, therefore, an immense relief that India was exonerated from this disconcerting list.
However, in the early parts of this year, the US Commission on International Religious freedom had downgraded India to its lowest ranking, in its report. Fortunately, Prime Minister Modi being in the good books of the Trump administration managed to get a reprieve in the end, else India could have been bracketed with the afore-said rogue countries. Either way, with the exit of Trump and the assumption of the Biden administration within a few days, the implication of the case may not be as identical. President Biden may be less disposed towards India, contextualized on the latest love-jihad legislation, favoured virtually by all the BJP ruled states, or the recently passed Uttar Pradesh Unlawful Religious Conversion Prohibition Ordinance, 2020. Although India may dismiss such charges but the stark stigma would continue to bedevil the psyche of India, being the largest democracy in the world.
But going by the bare objective ground realities, it is being reported that religious minorities in India are in the throes of social disabilities. I have read on social media how the small minority of Christians in Chhattisgarh had suffered under the previous saffron regime like being denied receipt of some social amenities implemented by the authorities. And what is more unnerving is that the Roman Catholic mission was prevented from building a Church in its periphery by the right-wingers citing glib reasons pertaining to lands disputes etc. Hence the said strip of land was thus left fallow. The same measure of hostility, it is feared, is replicated in most BJP ruled states. Come what may, I pray that our hallowed country, India, would still not figure in the above blacklisted countries even next year. But can India get lucky again? We are left to wonder!
Yours etc.,
Jerome K. Diengdoh,
Via email