Editor,
I was overwhelmed with the response that my letter captioned, ‘UDP: A Khasi-Centric Party’ (ST May 6, 2021) received last week. I consider myself fortunate that a political stalwart and former Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Bindo M Lanong, responded to the letter the very next day after I had pointed out the inconsistencies and ineptitude of the Party insofar as handling the last GHADC elections and their Garo candidates is concerned. This led them to face an embarrassing defeat. As much as I respect Bindo Lanong for his political and social experience, I can’t help but point out his chauvinistic and patriarchal mindset in his letter that referred to me in a condescending tone where he says, ‘Hopefully she is a lady.’ Not that it bothers me, but as the senior most leader and advisor of his Party, Mr Lanong’s statement carries much weight and his attitude clearly shows the prevailing mindset and culture in UDP which is against women in the State of Meghalaya. The idea that a woman can point out his Party’s flaws seems unacceptable to him and his colleagues. More so, if the person concerned is a Garo woman. No wonder, crime against women in Meghalaya is growing like the Covid-19 numbers, daily, under the supervision of his Party colleague as Home Minister.
The chest-thumping of the UDP leaders during the campaign trail in Garo Hills, where all their star campaigners were Khasis with not a single Garo as part of their central executive body today – are questions that Mr Lanong conveniently left unanswered. Why would he anyway, when his Party is a Khasi Party? Instead, he chooses to educate us that in the past the biggest example of co-existence between the Khasis and the Garos was when Garo soldiers fought under a Khasi chieftain against the British soldiers. I’m thankful to him for this analogy as this exposes the very philosophy and underlying ideology, about UDP, which believes that Garo people can’t lead and will always have to work under a Khasi leader. This thinking is probably one of the many reasons for the Party suffering such a humiliating defeat.
To add to this, the narrative of many roadside discussions in Garo Hills during the GHADC election was that UDP does not value the Garo sentiments and rich history which I’m afraid Mr Lanong has proven to be true, especially with the response he came up with. This communal mindset within the top brass of the UDP and its cadres only exposes what I had pointed out – that a bunch of Khasi legislators want to rule and dictate terms to the GHADC without caring for our sentiments and feelings. It is ironic that when a Garo woman points out these anomalies, she is being labelled an ignoramus, which is reminiscent of the ‘Lutyens Elitist Attitude’ that is running within the Party which thinks that ruling Meghalaya is the birth-right of the UDP. This reeks of a an oligarchical mindset where one family and a few male individuals from one community believe they can rule and control the masses forever.
I would be happy to have these exchanges directly with Bindo Lanong as suggested by him, but only if he would first accord women the same status and respect he has for the male members in the Party and if he can let go of his communal mindset which is embedded and has become a true identity of the UDP against the Garos in Garo Hills. To conclude, UDP is not only a Party for and by the Khasis but unfortunately, it is also a male-centric sexist Party.
Yours etc.,
Christina Marak
Shillong – 19
Editor’s note: For the benefit of readers, Ms Christina Marak has provided her contact number and it is therefore immature to allege that she is a ghost writer of some rival political party just because she critiques a political party. The Shillong Times believes in healthy debates without demeaning anyone and certainly without indulging in sexist remarks.
Strict containment in rural areas needed
Editor,
After overwhelming the health apparatus in Shillong and other district headquarters Covid-19 is now slowly spreading into the rural areas, which remained unaffected in the first wave of the disease in 2020. Hence there is a scepticism in people residing in rural areas as to whether the virus is real. Some believe that the virus only affects other states of India and that the cases occurring in Meghalaya are not real cases of Covid-19 but are some other seasonal allergies and afflictions like fever and common cold. Added to this scepticism there is also a myth circulating among the rural folks that Covid-19 is a “political virus”, a tool used by politicians for self-aggrandizement.
This lack of awareness among the rural folks and reluctance to submit to testing and to be vaccinated makes them more susceptible to Covid-19. The problem is compounded by the lack of proper medical infrastructure in rural areas since they are mainly concentrated in the towns. As is evident from the growing numbers of Covid patients in the state, hospitals are inadequate to admit the rush of patients. If the number of cases increase, the healthcare institutions will collapse, leaving the patients in the lurch. This will exacerbate the surge of Covid-19 in the State. It is therefore imperative to spread awareness about the real threat of the virus and to impose stringent, even aggressive measures not only in urban areas but also in rural areas so as to impede the escalation of the virus. The virus does will not discriminate between rural and urban folks. It will sweep all those that stand on its path. People of Meghalaya must understand this and the State Government must take strict action.
Yours etc,
Lurshai Kharbani & Philista Warjri,
Via email
My learning experience at MLCU
Editor,
Confronted by my childlike perspective, I’ve always felt that the journey of life ends at home. I had a low esteem and was unsure of finding my way in life. However, when I moved to Shillong and enrolled at Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU), my life changed significantly. I became a different person empowered with a positive lexicon. My childhood dream was to become a Veterinary doctor and cure sick animals as they are stoically incapable of acknowledging their pain. Daunting moments prevailed when I failed to crack the entrance exam even on my third attempt. I was on the verge of giving up, engulfed as I was with trauma and confusion. When I proceeded with my admission in MLCU, a new window of opportunity opened up for me to have a fresh start.
At first, I was amused with the equitable and impartial admission procedure. It was the sign of a first blessing from where all other blessings flowed. Continuous Formative Evaluation (CFE) was an effective learning system where young learners are groomed with intra-personal and interpersonal skills in a stress-free ambiance. As the exam system is not followed, the theoretical and practical evaluations adequately paid off. From the feedbacks given by the faculty during classroom presentations and interactions, I gained confidence and courage to confront my weaknesses and learn from my mistakes. The English Communication classes, not only improve my writing skills but my articulation became more fluent. The efforts of all the teachers with whom I have crossed paths was worthy of respect. Step by step, I soared higher with my grades and outgrew most of my weak qualities.
Being a student of Tourism and Travel Management enabled me to explore the roots of different cultures beyond my horizon. The experiential learning in visiting different destinations was an adventure of a lifetime. It helped me comprehend the beneficial essence of the tourism industry for the host communities. Apart from my own culture, I have learned to respect the traditions and customs of other cultures. Tourism can be a wonderful tool for building rapport in our North-eastern region, with cultural exchange programs within the aspect of tourism academics.
In conclusion, being a student of MLCU was a life changing moment. It moulded me to develop professional life skills and value systems. I have now graduated and moved on to pursue further studies. But wherever I wander, I will always be proud of being an alumnus of MLCU as it immensely enhanced professionalism in me.
Yours etc.,
C. Lalrinfela,
Via email