Editor,
I am disturbed by the letter criticising the no-detention order (Shillong Times, Mar 31, 2021). Children have gone through unimaginable stress during the Covid pandemic and this has impacted their psychological, emotional and social well-being. Numerous articles on this topic have already appeared on the websites of the United Nations, World Health Organization and UNICEF. Even children from stable families who were able to keep up a semblance of education during the pandemic have been affected.
In developing countries such as ours, rural and poor children have been deprived even of the meagre schooling they had before. So called elite schools may have managed to have regular online classes but the vast majority of Indian children have lost a year, apart from economic hardships to their families. However, the lockdown has had some benefits. Time spent with family, local community, learning about the multiple facets of the pandemic, and developing resilience are valuable to the development of children. These lessons may not be aligned with the school syllabus but are important life skills.
The no-detention order issued by the Government of Meghalaya is a commendable act of empathy. Even a well-embedded system needs flexibility to deal with unanticipated crises. To detain children because of a situation beyond their control is nothing but cruelty. One is familiar with the statistics of thousands of student suicides annually because of our draconian system of education. No child is a willful rebel or shirker. Negative behaviours are a reaction to an adult-created environment and are driven by survival instincts.
Lastly, I’m not sure why this newspaper allowed anonymity for the letter writer. Education is an important social issue and one must have the courage of one’s convictions to stand up and be counted. This ‘name withheld’ author seems to have no data or evidence, only a misguided opinion that actually harms children.
Yours etc.,
Prof Glenn C. Kharkongor
Via email
Editor replies: This newspaper believes in a free and fair dissemination of readers’ views so that a debate can ensue on any topic of public importance. Some writers request anonymity and we respect that. The issue is more important here than the person behind the writing.
Society in a moral crisis
Editor,
The news item, “Stepfather impregnates minor girl, surrenders” (ST Mar 30, 2021) is very disturbing for me as a woman and as a mother. To read of rape and violation of young girls be it by strangers or by close relations is shocking. It only goes to state the blatant truth that as a society and as humankind we lack the morals and do not shy away from committing heinous sins. What good is all the progress and development in the 21st century when as human beings we stoop so low! No one can understand the pain nor feel the shame of an act as much as the girl/woman who has been raped. There are numerous causes that lead to such crimes. From the perpetrator of crime himself who has exchanged his conscience for lust, the lack of punishment as per the law only encourages many evil minds to follow suit. How many rape victims have been provided justice? But above all as a society we have failed one another. Once we lack fellow feeling and are overpowered by pride, arrogance and power we have sold our souls to the devil.
Today, what we witness is the triumph of evil over good. Do we want to continue to live this way? Isn’t it our responsibility to sow the seeds of goodness and righteousness in our children so that they live each day of their lives in piety, a love for one another and above all a reverence to the One above? The onus lies on each one of us as members of the society and the world. Let us come together and impart good teachings by leading through example. Life is beautiful and so is this world. Can we make this life and the world worthy for what it was created?
Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar,
Via email
Scandal in MeECL sent a rude shock
Editor,
The news item published in the Shillong Times under the heading – “Surprise check reveals rampant power theft at Byrnihat.” (ST, March 30, 2021) has come as a “rude shock”. Nothing is more outrageous than the fact that big companies are allegedly involved in such power pilferage. It is like stealing coins from the bowl of a beggar who has been moaning in pain due to various “sicknesses”. No matter who the culprits are, the government must take stern action against them. They deserve exemplary punishment along with heavy monetary penalties. It is not improbable that those unscrupulous industrial units might have pilfered electricity worth Rs 1500 crore thereby reducing the power agency to a pauper over the years/decades.
One can’t agree more with what Toki Blah has expressed through his letter – “Condoning corruption”, (ST, 31 March, 2021). This case must be thoroughly investigated by CBI with utmost urgency. What is disgusting is that some of the MeECL officers have been allegedly found to be hand in glove with the industrial companies in facilitating the crime. Such an act of unfaithfulness by the employees towards the MeECL is “unpardonable.” Immediate suspension of the officers from service is the first step so that they will not get a chance to tamper with evidence and the like.
The public, and NGOs as well, must come forward to raise their voices against this unprecedented scandal in the state. The CMD, who has already gathered substantial evidence – along with photographs and videos, needs the full support of the public in these difficult hours. It is, after all, the public who has endlessly suffered when the MeECL fell into the pit of debt. Let’s find out who all are involved in getting the power agency in Meghalaya into the mess of liability.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong
On being Khasi and Indian
Editor,
In response to L Kharwanlang’s letter, “Much ado about identity” (ST March 30, 2021)I would like to first thank the writer for pointing out to your readers my mistake. The name of the person I quoted from should be Erno Rubik not Enro Rubik. When Rubik’s Cube first hit the market many years ago, I read in a journal an article about the inventor Erno Rubik and his invention and it was here that I came across this quotation which related to the examples I mentioned in my letter and the ideas which later took shape. Since there was no internet those days to verify the authenticity of the quotation, I took it at face value for its relevance to the ideology we were formulating and for the importance of this quotation to our ideology. It could have been anyone’s quote.
Kharwanlang questions my linking of origin to Identity by quoting from “theorist Stuart Hall.” I would like to add that the dictionary meaning of ‘ identity crisis’ is “ the condition of being uncertain of one’s origins.”
When Kharwanlang writes of himself, “as a tribal myself,” I would like to point out that sometimes the word “tribal’ is used as a derogatory term to describe some communities as backward and uncivilized. That is why we in the Maitshaphrang do not describe the Khasi community as a tribal community because we strongly believe that the we have the talent, the skills and the resources of the state to free ourselves from this scheduled tribe mindset and with the right leadership to be at par if not better at times , with the developed communities of India and the world , to compete and to contribute on an equal footing.
Yours etc.,
Michael N. Syiem
Via email