Editor,
The underlying cause of unrest in Meghalaya is a dread of a demographic imbalance. The demographic imbalance problem has persisted for years and there is no end in sight. Even our politicians are content to keep this topic alive so they may use it as a political tool. Since this problem cannot be resolved, it has caused numerous problems and fatalities. If our political leaders are sincere about solving this issue, they can. Let’s remind ourselves that the Bengal Eastern Frontier Regulations (BEFR), 1873 (Inner Line Permit (ILP)) was implemented in 2019 by the Union Government to protect the indigenous population of the State of Manipur. This serves as evidence that the regulation has the deterrent power to safeguard and instill a sense of security.
Why is the Inner Line Permit in Meghalaya not being implemented by the Union Government? The stated regulation is valid and provides protections for our state’s indigenous inhabitants. According to some, if the aforementioned regulation is put into effect, it will have an impact on the tourism industry in our state. However, the regulation doesn’t permanently bar people from visiting; they only need to apply for an entry permit. In the modern age, the permit can be easily applied for with the aid of technology, and bonafide Indian citizens will easily obtain it because they have all the necessary documents. However, it will act as a barrier to entry for those who are not Indian citizens and who have entered the country illegally.
There is a wrong perception about the regulation that if implemented all the outsiders will be wiped out but there is no provision in the regulation. It is only a law to regulate influx and it is imperative as it will not only protect the indigenous population but it will insulate the rapid increase of population in our small state. If this chapter is closed, in my opinion I think that all the unrest in our state will come to an end and we strive forward to achieve development and live in peace and harmony with each other.
Yours etc.,
Kenneth Nongsiej,
Via email
Lessons from ghastly murder of Shraddha Walker
Editor,
The ghastly murder of Shraddha Walker by her live-in partner raises many uncomfortable questions about relationships built over the virtual world. How this is going to play out in the future in our societies is unpredictable yet ominous. As usual it is the woman who is at the receiving end. It is shocking, almost unbelievable that a person with whom one had shared everything under a single roof could turn predator and hack his female partner into 35 pieces and keep her body parts in the fridge for months together. This is how heartless and satanic humans in this digital age have become. Hope this frightful incident sends a message of alarm to millions of parents across the country. Hope it has also alerted our gullible adolescents who are tempted to look for partners through misleading apps on the net where males/females are assessed in terms of their external oomph instead of the human qualities they possess. What is disgusting is that such devious portals are allowed to do business. Amidst our “silence” they are carrying out their immoral business with a vengeance and thus misguiding our youths.
These applications/sites might even pop up with obscene images as advertisements on our Facebook pages or while checking emails or even visiting news websites. The deeper we delve the dirtier it gets. These portals/apps, all portray women as commodities to be preyed upon. Only a few women’s organizations have taken note of these apps but without a concerted effort across the country it is difficult to fight these app honchos.
Another piece of news carried by India Today some days ago says that a boy from Kanpur has threatened to cut a minor girl into pieces if she rejects his proposal for marriage. The boy was later arrested. Human lust has become a serious threat. If a sense of morality were present in the mind of Aaftab Poonawala, he would not have pulled out the dagger to take Shraddha’s life. Was it a crime for a female to implore upon her male partner to marry her after having lived together for over four years? It is understood that Shraddha’s insistence on marriage drove Poonawala round the bend. The way girl’s body was chopped, put into a freezer and then thrown away part by part can only be dome by a mentally ill person. If we go by the reports or cases being handled by lawyers across the country these days, there are endless cases of “sex followed by murder/torture” of vulnerable females. Only a few incidents come to light.
Another concern is what are those things that have “misled” increasing numbers of young girls who easily fall for the wrong persons? Also, what are those things that provoke the man to commit such heinous crimes? Was the Court of law really wise in legalizing live-in relationships in 2006? Could it not foresee that that “lust-driven relationship” without “ethics”, which is so prevalent, might end up in acrimony and bloodshed as well? It appears that the ruling has only widened the credibility gap of the judiciary.
The sanctity of marriage should not be trivialized. This will quickly lead to social degeneration. I don’t think police investigations and fact finding alone will make people any saner. The government must list the main “causes” and adopt all corrective measures. If possible, the government should consider banning the immoral representation of females on the internet, which is very degrading and which corrupts the minds of people, especially younger children. Yes, all these concerns and challenges should be taken up on a war footing for the future of our vulnerable girls and women. Lastly, one wishes that no grown-up child leaves their parents’ homes to go and live with a heartless live-in partner only to face nightmares. We need to wake up before more women are killed in a similar manner.
Yours etc.,
Salil Gewali
Shillong