Editor,
On the occasion of that red-letter day, I cannot but express my fond memories of the time when I used to be in occasional contact with (L) B B Lyngdoh, a versatile politician and a visionary who shaped the destiny of our state (Meghalaya) for about half a century until the beginning of the 21st century. In my estimation he was one of the tallest leaders of our Hill State Movement and a political catalyst who had set the best example which the coming generation of politicians are bound to follow; an example of principles and steadfastness. Long live BB Lyngdoh!
Yours etc.,
Lambourne Kharlukhi,
Mawlai Nongkwar
False claims repeated!
Editor,
Apropos the letter, “Correcting the record on Covid” by Sukrit Sabhlok (ST February 3, 2022), I was quite surprised to see him reiterating many of the same false claims he had earlier put forth in his rant against the pandemic. Foremost among them, yet again, was the Great Barrington Declaration (which just so happens to be originally authored by the three scientists Sabhlok swears by). Since Sabhlok seems to have missed my earlier demonstration of the lack of worth of this “declaration”, I repeat: the GBD is nothing more than a fradulent initiative that lacks any credible verification. After it, it initially contained names such as “Dr Person Fakename” and “Dr Johnny Bananas” among its “expert signatories”. I urge anyone in need of a laugh to google this declaration and observe the fake names associated with it, for it is nothing more than a highly amusing practical prank.
The rest of Sabhlok’s letter is unfortunately yet another demonstration of him putting forth cherry-picked statements and even false data to back his peculiar views. Case in point: Sabhlok claims the WHO and the UN have argued against and dismissed the effectiveness of lockdowns, but the truth is quite different. The WHO for instance has repeatedly urged governments to take the virus seriously, and it continues to urge caution even today, with the WHO chief stating a couple of weeks ago, “the narrative of Covid being a mild disease is misleading, and it hurts the overall response and costs more lives”. The UN in 2021 warned that hundreds of thousands of child deaths were potentially caused in South Asia alone, not because of “radical interruptions to commerce” as Sabhlok claims, but due to health services being overwhelmed due to Covid.
Further, Sabhlok yet again tries to put forth Sweden’s Covid response as an immaculate strategy, while worldwide Covid trackers paint a very different story. Among 225 recognized territories, Sweden ranks a dismal 188th in keeping cases per capita low, and it ranks 169th in keeping deaths per capita low. Hardly something worth emulating in my humble opinion. For some perspective, New Zealand, which took the virus seriously, ranks 20th in keeping deaths low.
Sadly, each of Sabhlok’s “arguments” is similarly based on incomplete or false information. After all, he seems to perceive absolutely no distinction between the pre-pandemic world and the time we currently live in, as demonstrated by his bewildering fixation on why lockdowns were not a topic of research before they actually became prevalent post-2019. I am not certain if “commerce” or some other consideration is driving his strange views, and while he fully reserves the right to believe what he desires, I would advise him to not take offence if health bodies, Governments and other citizens don’t share his trust in disproven sources of information like the Great Barrington Declaration.
Coming back to reality though, I hope that through careful planning based on actual data, we will soon suppress this pandemic enough and restore normalcy in our lives.
Yours etc.,
N.K. Kehar
Shillong-3
Why youth gravitate towards militancy
Editor,
I am amused to learn that the Social Welfare Department will be conducting a study to find out why our youth are heading towards militancy. I think the truth is as self-evident as the fact that if you throw anything up it will come down. Newton might have discovered the law of gravity but things falling back to earth after being thrown up is an observation that cannot escape even a layman even if he has not heard of Newton. Hence every/any reason discovered by such a study is likely to be merely an exercise in semantics. Of wrapping up the truth in political jargon.
Why are our youth joining militants? . Why do youth gravitate towards pressure groups? Because unfortunately that is where the society’ s role models are. We have no real role models in business or in sports. Businessmen unfortunately are looked down upon in our so called egalitarian society. But without business, large scale job creation is not possible. Although routinely abused ( and extorted from ) they also add to the state’s coffers in the form of revenue.
Music and sports where the natural talent of our youth lies have not been encouraged by the government. It is a different thing to get bands from outside to play at various festivals and to take part in the premier League. Why can’t we have scholarships and training camps for these two categories beginning at the school level itself?
You will find that youth from other NE states effected by militancy have moved out of their states looking for jobs. But in Meghalaya one finds that a bogey has been created about the country outside the state’ s borders. It is, as if people are being lynched routinely. I know of retired civil servants that routinely spew out venom and thus fear. Such expressions of over-blown fear make everyone hesitate to even take a step outside, far less, seek a job there.
So what does, a young man do? He knows that no jobs are available to him. His attempt at business is going to end at best in a dreary hand to mouth existence. How does he then expend his natural energy? Well either in alcohol or sex ( we have seen the effects of both already) or in fighting. Being a rebel for a cause which he feels he has but can’t define. So militancy seems to provide an answer.
There is a continuous demand for more constitutional protection for the people of the state. This is bound to be counterproductive. Having too much protection is like wearing a bullet proof vest and then putting on rusty metal full- body antiquated armour ( such as the ILP) and then running. It is a fast-changing world and in this world one has to learn to be nimble. Over- protection just slows one down. We are already far behind other states in spite of having attained statehood five decades ago.
We have a good thing going in tourism but have lost the advantage in health care and education to Guwahati. Government needs to protect this sector from agitations and extortion. This is a big money spinner, employment and revenue generating sector. Of course, corruption is another big factor. Corruption also encourages extortion as we have seen. A laissez faire attitude of filling one’s pockets unfairly and then not having the moral courage to stop others from doing so. The CM of Assam had, a couple of days ago, proposed a law against forced donations extracted from business people. Will Meghalaya also make an attempt to clean out it’s stables?
It is said that we all operate out of two polarities – love or fear. I think it will greatly help to abandon fear and trust the world. An open fearless society I dare say will do much better than the one in which one is routinely asked to hide one’s head in the sand of fear.
Yours etc.,
Paramjit Bakhshi.
Via email