Editor,
Now before saying anything further on the subject let me hastily assure everyone that this is a topic/question on everybody’s mind, a sort of ever current topic of sitting room conversation, especially about ministers and MLAs that make up the MDA Govt. Everyone believes it to be true, but how it is carried out still remains a mystery to the common man. A certain research scholar who has made it a mission to find out why certain Departments within the Government are in such high demand from money laundering Ministers, is of the view that these are departments with huge budgets that are ready to be milked dry. They are attractive to politicians who (1) come with a criminal, shameless business mindset ready to use public office as a safe platform to siphon off Government money to expand their personal or business interests (2) these departments are manned by a subservient bureaucracy/technocracy that is willing to turn a blind eye while such looting of public money takes place. These are guys who have no stake in the welfare of Meghalaya (3) belong to a political party that turns a blind eye to corruption of this kind as long as it remains in power. So this is happening in Meghalaya big time and unless we wake up and do something to stop such crooks from donning the mantle of a public servant, we as a state and a community are doomed.
Now hold it! Don’t jump to the conclusion that I am a sensation seeking alarmist crying wolf. Let me try and justify the above accusations by giving the example of what is happening in just one Government Department i.e. the Urban Affairs Department of Meghalaya. Allow me to take the readers mind’s back to a certain Urban Affairs scheme to beautify Shillong by creating an iconic park / green urban lung concept at the place where the present PWD complex at Barik Pt stands. Rs 100 crore was earmarked for the above project. Immediately after the news report on the project mentioned above happened, a reshuffling of the Cabinet suddenly took place without rhyme or reason, with Sniawbhalang Dhar taking over as the Minister I/c Urban Affairs from Hamlet Dohling the then inert, incumbent minister of that department. There was wide public speculation that Sniawbhalang Dhar, actively involved as member of the Dhar Construction Co, a shrewd and ruthless business man to boot, had jerked the carpet from under Hamlet’s feet so as to ensure his own firm gets the contract for the Urban Affairs project mentioned above. This was bad enough but apparently the family is keenly looking forward to establishing a casino in the place.
It has now also turned out that the elder brother of the Minister, who was once a politician himself, had quietly on the sly acquired large tracts of land somewhere in New Shillong Township area of Mawdiang diang. Hundreds of acres was acquired by the elder brother in speculation of making a kill over such investments in the near future. Well he did not have to wait long. The younger brother’s Urban Affairs Department has now obligingly stepped in to purchase the above mentioned land from the elder brother, at a highly inflated cost of course. According to inside sources in the know the “profit alone” from this deal is likely to cross Rs 160 crore or more. The story goes that there was this intention of Urban Affairs to expand the New Shillong township but this information was kept secret; the younger brother then passed this inside information to the other; the other making heavy investments in real estate based on this insider information; resulting in the younger brother’s Department purchasing property from the other brother. Payment of course was from the public exchequer. Typical mafia style!
Now as far as I know this is a crime known as Insider Trading. Insider trading is the practice of trading in a company’s securities (in our case the Meghalaya Public Exchequer) using confidential knowledge (unpublished price-sensitive information) and making huge financial profits from such unethical practices. There is a Law against this. Rest assured the present MDA Government will do nothing to unearth the truth. Will the Judiciary therefore, the Meghalaya High Court to be specific, take suo-moto cognizance on the allegations made, order a CBI inquiry into the crime and bring the culprits to book for unethical looting of the State?
Yours etc.,
Kitbok Thongni,
Via email
Uniform Civil Code necessary
Editor,
As some states are proceeding forward to formulate a draft for Uniform Civil Code (UCC), intense debate is going on about its merits and demerits. The UP and Uttarakhand governments are thinking seriously about implementing it in the states.
The UCC requires the formulation of one law for India that would be applicable to all religious communities in matters such as marriage, divorce, inheritance and adoption. Article 44 of the Constitution lays emphasis on the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code. This issue has been at the centre of debate for a long time. Once it is implemented personal laws of religious communities would be replaced with common laws that are applicable to all citizens irrespective of their faith.
In spite of the fact a great deal of time has elapsed since our country became independent, nothing has been done to implement the UCC. It must be understood that most of the laws that we have enacted have drawbacks. For example, POCSO Act has resulted in imprisonment of many who are not aware of the details of the law. The same complications may arise when the laws related to the UCC are enacted and implemented. Given that different religious communities have different customs and religious practices, there must be utmost care and planning in the formulation and implementation of laws. On the other hand, a progressive society needs to implement common laws so that the citizens do not have to depend on different laws. It would be irrational if each state formulates its own UCC. What a country with diverse culture requires is laws that are applicable to all and sundry in the country.
Yours etc.,
Venu GS
Kollam