Editor,
0n October 22nd last when the Union Minister for Law & Justice Kiren Rijiju visited Shillong he was asked on the status of implementation of ILP in Meghalaya. He curtly and evasively responded that this specific issue warrants a special brainstorm exercise. He, instead, underlined the fact that the Modi government is steadfastly pursuing a positive outreach policy for the unexceptionable holistic welfare of the people of the North-East and that one of them is to completely revamp the redundant impediments like the ILP, clamped by the colonial administrators. This reminds me of another dyed in the wool saffron representative of the city A L Hek who on October 28, 2019 asserted that, “ILP implementation is not as easy as plucking a fruit,” while defending the saffron government to the hilt.
If Rijiju has so self-assuredly opined that ILP could become a bottleneck to progress then he ought to, in the first place, push for the roll-back of ILP from his own State of Arunachal Pradesh then he may see the hullabaloo of the students’ union of his State who have been raising the Chakma problems eternally. Most of the Arunachalis would be baying for his blood or that of anyone who dares to dispense with the extant ILP prevalent in their State. It may be recalled that in one of my letters which appeared in these very columns captioned ‘Why ILP for Manipur and not Meghalaya?’ (ST March 4, 2020),I had elaborately recounted the Machiavellian maneuvers of the NDA led Government to endorse ILP gift on a platter to Manipur but oddly denied the same to Meghalaya! Coincidentally, such a contentious enactment was done close on the heels of Parliament passing of the CAA; further, Manipur was perchance granted ILP on the hindsight of being fully aware that Manipuris are inexorable in their resolute determination and are ready to lay down their lives for justice as exemplified in their demonstrations when Manipur’s hill-districts were alleged to be incorporated into Nagalim. To top it all, Amit Shah knew that CAA would never be accepted by the Manipuris without a deterrent ILP
Additionally, at this juncture, the Modi government was also obliquely copy-catting the much maligned colonial policy of divide and rule in the North-East. Hence, hypocrisy is there for all to see!
Yours etc.,
Jerome K Diengdoh,
Shillong-2
Live and let live!
Editor,
On October 28 last the FKJGP took out a rally to protest against unemployment. Unemployment is a problem that creates a lot of agony, frustration and trauma in people especially the minds of the educated youths. Unemployment is indeed a menace that must be addressed very seriously by the government.
One completely agrees with Albert Thyrniang in his write-up; “Should not the slogan ‘In our own land we do as we wish’ be banned” when he says that the leaders of the pressure groups are not taking crucial matters and concerns in all seriousness by going deep into the route of corruption, nepotism and favouritism. There has always been a lack of transparency in job interviews whereby these leaders and more often their relatives and family members are usually the ones selected for the posts irrespective of whether they are fit or otherwise.
On that fateful day, the FKJGP, a federation that comprises the three tribes of the state, turned violent and ugly. The videos and images that went viral in social media puts the three tribes to shame. Those at the rally appeared to be young men in all their vigour and strength. One fails to understand as to what was the need to take up a rally wearing masks, now that COVID protocols are more relaxed unless they had ulterior motives of violence.
Over the years, since the 1970s when agitations took place in the state, many lives were lost. Social media then was far from existence. Today, any and every small incident, good or bad, spreads like wild fire. It takes but a few seconds for the world to get information about the happenings in and around the world. That day, what the local youths did reached every nook and corner of the world. The veracity of this can be seen in the numerous comments made on the videos and images on Facebook, Instagram, etc. And why not? This sort of hooliganism is unacceptable in any sane society. What could be the joy achieved out of such a show of hooliganism? Bashing non-tribals, vandalising vehicles was no act of sanity. Our state is not only a beautiful place but a place with equally beautiful people. But for such acts or tyranny of a few, we have earned the despise of our fellow countrymen and onlookers across the globe. If unemployment was the cause that made the pressure groups take up the rally, did they achieve anything concrete and substantial after disrupting the peace and tranquility?
If the FKJGP triggered fear and panic the police failed us miserably. Teachers were manhandled during their protest march to the Secretariat but not the perturbed youths. Why was the Police Department docile and submissive on that particular day when they are actually the protectors of the law?
Life is a gift that is too short to be lived in hatred, anger, pride, enmity, envy, killing, murder. We come into this world with just this knowledge that one day we will have to go back to a place unknown. What route would that be is not truly known to us but certainly what route and path to take is in our hands.
Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar,
Via email