Editor,
I have read with interest your article mentioning hotels in Shillong. To put the record straight Hotel Polo Towers, Shillong is a classified 4 star hotel. No other hotel is classified in Meghalaya We were also not considered worthy when we tried to bid for the completion of Crowborough Hotel way back, and the Municipal Hotel Project was not even advertised, so we are not there too.
However, Meghalaya’s loss is Tripura’s gain as we have just inaugurated our 7th project, HOTEL POLO TOWERS at Agartala, a 5 Star Property under PPP, constructed and commissioned in just three and a half years. This was because of the Tripura Government’s well greased machinery.
Shillong was and is always our first preference for a 5 Star Hotel, but the Government’s intent has to coincide with our vision and capabilities.
Yours etc.,
Kishan Tibrewalla
Chairman & Managing Director,
Hotel Polo Towers
Winner of Best Luxury Hotel Chain in Eastern India – World Travel Awards.
Netaji was above all a patriot
Editor,
It is an appreciable gesture of the Government of India to honour the great freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, by entitling his birthday 23rd January as Parakram Divas.” Parakram means valour or bravery or might. Hence the day is interpreted as the Day of valour or bravery. But Netaji is more popularly known as Patriot Netaji whose endless contribution towards the freedom movement was mainly based on his love and devotion for his motherland. Netaji dedicated his entire life to the objective of freeing Mother India from the clutches of the British. So to me .Netaji is more a patriot than a brave or mighty personality.
May I draw the kind attention of the concerned authority to rethink the matter to name 23rd January as “Patriot Day” which will be the most appropriate recognition of the day.
Yours etc
Uma Purkayastha,
Shillong 4
Netaji a true patriot
Editor,
When Netaji was organising the Indian National Army in South-East Asia for its forward march to Delhi, a close associate of his advised that instead of having separate prayer meetings for the Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christian soldiers, a common prayer meeting can be arranged by incorporating the educative and exemplary traits of all religions so as to forge absolute unity among the Indian fighters.
Netaji praised his associate for his well-intentioned idea but also warned that if religion gets used to bind the hearts of all Indian soldiers then this very religion itself can be exploited by the evil forces to create discord and disunity among the soldiers. So its not the thread of religion, which should ideally remain confined to one’s personal/private domain only, but the one and only chord of patriotism and undiluted love for the motherland needs to be nurtured and nourished so as to bind all Indian soldiers psychologically to work towards a common goal.
What a contrast to the present state of affairs when religion has been allowed to infiltrate even the social life and political sphere and that in this heterogeneous Constitutionally secular nation leading to violence and supreme intolerance towards the food habits, dignity, human rights and safety of our very own fellow Indian brothers and sisters!
Instead of merely garlanding his statue or portrait on January 23 it is high time India wakes up to the secular values, ethics and humanity propagated by Netaji so as to unite the country emotionally and psychologically and thereby award due honour to this Patriot of Patriots through practical deeds, not mere words or rhetoric.
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chatterjee,
Kolkata -114
Nongrim Hills VIP only road
Editor,
When will this country populated by the majority of poor people get out of this VIP syndrome? The NEC meeting scheduled for Jan 23-24, 2021 has turned Nongrim Hills into a fortress. No vehicles are allowed to pass through the usual route to Rynjah/Umpling/NEIGRIHMS and beyond and vice versa. This causes a lot of inconvenience to the residents of Nongrim Hills and beyond. When will India get rid of this VIP culture that never existed in these hills and is an import from a Brahmanical past in a country where the caste system is still alive and kicking. In the first place why should institutions such as the NEC be located within a residential area? Do we see this in any other state? If there are security concerns then NEC should have been located in an area like the Cantonment where enforcement of security 24×7 is possible.
This is characteristic of Meghalaya and of Shillong in particular. Whether we look at hospitals, schools or even petrol pumps, they are all located within residential areas without considering the inconvenience caused to residents and also the dangers posed by a petrol pump in a locality surrounded by private residences. There are no rules or regulations about where to build what. There are no regulations about maintaining distance from the public roads while building houses. It’s a free for all. Sometimes I wonder if we even have a government and if we do then what is its remit.
The tribals who have no concept of VIPism should contest this culture and get it out of the state. It’s a culture that divides the VIP who are public servants from the people who are the masters. What irony! Let’s start an anti-VIP campaign. Any takers?
Yours etc.,
Iaikyrshan Lyngdoh,
Via email