Editor,
Apropos of BM Lanong’s letter “On UDP—a Khasi-centric party” (ST May 12, 2021), we are baffled by his mention of names like Captain WA Sangma, Dr Milton Sangma and Mody K Marak as UDP Presidents from the Garo community. It seems to us that he is dropping names as a valiant attempt to establish his contention that UDP is not a Khasi-centric party. Well, without entering into a debate with him on whether or not the Party has any support base in Garo Hills, we are compelled to wonder whether Lanong is suffering from dementia. He is the Working President of UDP and more than anybody else, he should know best who were his predecessors in the Party from Garo Hills. To the best of our knowledge and belief, none of them had ever held the office of UDP president.
To refresh Lanong’s memory, Captain Sangma began his political career with Garo National Council (GNC). This grass-roots level organisation which had massive support in the Garo community, later joined the All-Party Hill Leaders’ Conference (APHLC) as it’s constituent. APHLC got us the state in 1972 and came to power. It was in 1976 that Captain Sangma along with some others in APHLC decided to merge with Indian National Congress. Till his death in the 90’s, Captain did not leave Congress. It is a known history of Captain’s political life that he never played politics of defection and instability.
Therefore, the question arises, did Captain secretly join the UDP that nobody seems to know? We invite Lanong to enlighten us in which year was Captain Sangma president of UDP?
Like-wise, the claim that Dr Milton Sangma was UDP president, is absurd. For all we know, Dr Sangma had contested unsuccessfully from Kharkutta constituency in 1978 and lost to Late Freidina Marak by a big margin. He then virtually withdrew from active politics and concentrated on academics. He later went on to be the Pro-vice-chancellor of NEHU Garo Hills campus. Till date, at least we are unaware of Dr Sangma being President of UDP. We shall be obliged if Lanong can make us wiser on this issue.
Regarding Mody K. Marak, who was a big prop of GNC, he was a principled man. He had his differences with Captain Sangma, particularly his style of functioning, and never compromised on his stand. Yes, he was anti-Congress primarily because of Captain Sangma’s hobnobbing with the INC. The only time Mody Marak had contested elections was in 1978 from Tura constituency only to lose to the Congress candidate. But was he ever the president of any regional party? We can’t say authentically. It is for Lanong to set the records straight.
Yours etc.,
Samson A. Sangma and others,
Via email
Spitting an ugly habit
Editor,
Spitting has been a very casual habit in our State and in country. Even though we have all learnt in school and through awareness programmes that the human spit carries many germs and bacteria and transmits diseases especially in these times, when our country is facing the Covid 19 pandemic crisis and , new cases and death rates are on the rise even in our State. Sadly I still see people removing their masks and spitting on the road sub-consciously. I fail to understand why this is not a punishable offence. In fact it should be part of the Covid protocol not to spit on the road and just about anywhere. Even during this lockdown, we can see fresh spit marks on the road.
Last year there were announcements not to spit around, but it is difficult to instil any behavioural change in our people unless they are fined. Hence there should be strict law against spitting. People should either be heavily fined or kept in the lockup for a few hours. Then only will the habit be ingrained in repeated offenders.
Yours etc.,
Monica Thangkhiew,
Via email
Police approach and behaviour
Editor,
A video has gone viral wherein Anjani Kumar, the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, is seen addressing policemen urging them to show empathy and restrain the use of “lathi”, especially against the poor. He also requested the police to help the people, and arrange for masks, food, etc.
Compared to this we hear the DGP of Assam threatening to act against people if they violate the law, and initiate punitive action by taking cognizance of such acts as “attempts to murder”. This definitely is police high-handedness.
Whenever there is disturbance or crisis in policing, or policemen are found guilty (like the recent leakage of question papers in police recruitment in Assam), many senior police officers went hammer and tongs saying that police are part of the society, and if the society has bad elements, so do police. But when it comes to policing during enforcement of lockdown and curfews, police seem to forget that they are a part of the society, and that the society feeds them.
The pandemic has thrown our lives out of gear, and the least the police can do is not to humiliate people on the strength of their “lathis”. Mostly, it is the poor (including women) and the young who are at the receiving end of police humiliation, and violation of basic human rights and dignity.
Enforce you should, but also have empathy towards the people you are policing, is the humble appeal to all policemen.
Yours etc.,
D Bhutia
Guwahati
Is this the “New India’ we voted for?
Editor,
The Covid-19 pandemic has thoroughly exposed the fragility of India which was already known to all well-meaning citizens for decades. This has now been exposed on an epic proportion. It has plundered the myth that all is well which was continuously and frivolously fed to us day in and day out in well-orchestrated ways on social media networks, biased news channels and all possible platforms by the current political dispensation. Our image as a responsible nation capable of taking care of its populace has further diminished globally under the pressure of handling/mishandling of the pandemic. Whether it is the Financial Times/The Washington Post/The New York Times/CNN/BBC/etc. all have highlighted our poor preparedness and handling of Covid-19 waves ravaging the nation. Things were somehow manageable as long as it did not penetrate the villages, which obviously are the most vulnerable places when miseries strike. The situation, of course, was grim but now with its tentacles spreading to the villages, it’s devastating to say the least.
Yours etc.,
Dr. Lakhon Kma,
Via email
Covid-19 pains: Of civic responsibility
Editor,
In the article, ‘Covid-19 pains: A Collective failure’ (ST May 15, 2021) the writer Bhogtoram Mawroh has projected himself as a concerned citizen through that article However, he also needs to understand that every citizen’s role in this pandemic is vital. It starts with each one of us, from wearing a mask to maintaining social distance and staying home. I am sure all regulations are generalized as it is impossible to make exceptions. As a ‘concerned citizen’ and if it really were his intention to help his friend, then Mawroh’s duty was to counsel his friend and not dump family issues on the Shnong and the Administration which must be already overwhelmed. What constructive role did he play in this particular case. Charity begins at home! As Mawroh himself has rightly put, his friend will have only himself to blame for his inability to solve his family issues
Yours etc.,
B Lyngdoh,
Shillong-4