Editor,
Mahatma Gandhi once spoke of the three monkeys that see, listen or hear of the evil around them. This is exactly what is happening in Meghalaya as far as the denial about illegal coal mining is concerned. On a daily basis right from the Chief Minister to the Deputy Chief Minister and the ministers holding other portfolios all continue to deny in that there is illegal transportation and mining of coal in various parts of the state. Such is their audacity to deny even in the face of facts that we sometimes wonder how anyone can lie through their teeth. And that goes for all the officers who are involved in this illegality in spite of the rot spilling into the open. The coalition of regional parties who are the Three Monkeys are party to this illegality even though they try to portray themselves as ‘innocent’ bystanders while Rome is being looted. But all the political [parties that are part of the MDA Government are collaborators in this illegality and they must take the blame because illegal mining and transportation is depriving the state of valuable income. Meghalaya is in dire financial straits but the taxes that could have come to the exchequer is looted by a few individuals. It’s time to call a spade a spade.
Yours etc…
Dominic Stadlin Wankhar
Shillong-3
Constitution guarantees free speech
Editor,
Every individual enjoys full rights to support Narendra Modi or vote in favour of BJP. He/She also holds the right to dislike Congress/TMC or criticise Rahul Gandhi/Mamata Banerjee. But the saffron eco-system and its followers should also get enlightened about the simple truth that another individual or set of individuals in this democratic country also enjoy the same rights of supporting RJD/TDP and opposing BJP!
And it is high time BJP is told in very clear terms that nationalism or truth does not depend upon the yardstick set by them. BJP is the last word of neither Hinduism nor nationalism and so the Hindu/Indian credential of any individual would not depend upon his/her stand on Ram temple Kashmir NRC “Gomata” beef-consumption or chanting “Jai Shri Ram”! Similarly neither the BJP nor its acolytes hold any democratic, moral and legal right to evaluate the “patriotism” of citizens through the yardstick of supporting/opposing Narendra Modi and his government’s policies. As citizens of a democratic country with none other than the Constitution guaranteeing freedom of speech, each and every individual or political party holds every right to criticise Narendra Modi and the NDA Government or BJP in a civilized voice and non-violent mode – be it on the Ram Mandir, revocation of Article 370 in Jammu & Kashmir, demonetisation, NRC-CAA, instant-lockdown, farm-laws or on the grounds of the economy, joblessness, national security, “Love jihad” and cow-vigilante. Instead of offering unsolicited advice on “patriotism”, the BJP leaders and their followers should learn to respect diverse thoughts and opinions, tolerate criticism and engage in debate with logic, without calling names and character assassinating the ideological/political adversaries as “parasites” hatching “conspiracies” against the country by pursuing “Foreign Destructive Ideology”!
Yours etc.,
Kajal Chatterjee,
Kolkata
Overcharging by Rapido
Editor,
I have heard several complaints from friends and relatives that some Rapido captains (perhaps not all) are charging customers more than the amount reflected in the Rapido app. In my assessment, the said app calculates the fare based on the distance between the pickup and drop-off locations. With the ongoing cab agitation in many parts of the state, some of these Rapido bikers are taking the residents of Shillong for a ride (pun intended). Some of these extortionist Rapido captains are asking customers double or triple the amount even for a 10 minute ride. Usually, they would first call the customer and ask him/her the fare which is reflected on the app. They would then ask a higher fare and if the customer refuses, they would refuse to provide the service and demand that the customer cancel the ride. Upon cancellation, the helpless customer has to pay a cancellation fee which is added to his/her next ride. Many customers, especially during the evenings or those in a hurry or in an emergency, are forced to comply with the demands of some of these Rapido drivers. From what I hear, the DTO office East Khasi Hills has clarified that Rapido has not been granted any commercial license yet to operate in the district. Rapido bikers are not deemed commercial vehicles for the purposes of paying any applicable commercial tax. As far as we are concerned, Rapido bikers are simply private two wheelers that are operating illegally without paying one paisa of commercial tax to the state exchequer. I appeal to the District Magistrate, EKH District, the Police Department and the Transport Department to initiate a thorough investigation into this Rapido business and to ensure that customers are not cheated, harrassed and extorted in such an atrocious manner.
Yours etc.,
Jeremiah S,
Via email