Editor,
We were not even able to come out of the trauma of Aaftab Amin Poonawala strangulating his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body into pieces in May 2022, when there is another draconian inhuman incident in Delhi on New Year’s eve, where a 20-year old woman died a painful death after her scooter was hit by a car and she was dragged under the car for twelve kilometers. Her body was torn apart, her skull fractured and brain matter missing. Very little has changed on the ground since the Nirbhaya gang rape case that happened on December 16, 2012. In fact, we can only say that it has worsened. I feel emotionally and mentally upset by reading such horrendous news, knowing this is the story of every woman in India irrespective of religion, age, and complexion.
As per the National Crime Records Bureau report, 4,28,278 cases of crime against women were registered during 2021, showing an increase of 15.3% over 2020 (3,71,503 cases). The majority of cases under the IPC for crime against women were registered under ‘Cruelty by Husband or His Relatives’ (31.8%) followed by ‘Assault on Women with Intent to Outrage her Modesty’ (20.8%), ‘Kidnapping & Abduction of Women’ (17.6%) and ‘Rape’ (7.4%). The crime rate registered per lakh women population is 64.5 in 2021 in comparison with 56.5 in 2020. The question that we need to ask ourselves is: why are the women of this country not safe in their own country?
Since the Agricultural Revolution, most human societies have been patriarchal societies that valued men more highly than women. So there needs to be a complete overhauling of the system – curing the patriarchal mindset by the societies, the state, and by the system including the legal system.
Yours etc.,
Dr. Omarlin Kyndiah,
Via email
Lessons for voters: Beware of another NPP-led Govt
Editor,
As an observer of the state of affairs in Meghalaya it is a disgrace for media managers of the NPP that the Chief Minister had to break his silence only after a lot of noise and protests were raised against the Assam government’s directive to conduct a survey of Christians in that state. The duplicity of the NPP leadership has shown that the NPP- led, MDA government has no voice in matters related directly with its stepmother the BJP, from unprovoked killing of villagers at Mukroh to illegal encroachment by Assam, to scams and scandals. The doles of five and ten thousand cannot change a person’s fortune and perhaps even the heavens would find it difficult to table the omissions and commissions of the MDA government led by the NPP and BJP. Voters should not forget lest we become inheritors of another scam tainted government led by the NPP.
Yours etc..
Dominic Stadlin Wankhar
Via email
Poll battle between financial might and policymakers
Editor,
Nongkrem Constituency is the subject of a lot of discussions right now, and there are various claims that money has been utilized to influence voters in order to win the upcoming elections. The election campaign in the Nongkrem Constituency will focus on two themes: “the people’s free will” and “improper influence from money.”
If a candidate with financial clout wins the election, people from other parts of the state will view the people of Nongkrem Constituency as morons who are easily deceived by money. However, if a candidate with principles and with no financial might wins the prestigious seat, it will go down in history as an election where people exercised their mandate with a free mind and a clear conscience. True democracy will triumph, and it will serve as an example for the state and the nation.
What does the Nongkrem Constituency need? Nongkrem Constituency is the gateway for other districts to enter Shillong. It has the potential to become one of the flourishing constituencies in the state, but our leaders have failed to realize it. Our Constituency needs Government Schools, Government Colleges, land support for the farmers, water, etc. Water is one of the problems which Laitkor faces, and Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) have come and gone but none has indeed solved the issue. There are numerous new water tanks in Laitkor, but they are useless as none is functional and lacks the pipelines to fill the tanks with water.
Candidates are using their financial clout to deceive the populace by handing out cash and blankets, and by doing so, the populace is made to smile and forget about the issues we face. People need to think strategically and speak up for the constituency’s growth; we shouldn’t be content with short-term wins. The funds that the politicians are using to buy votes could be used to establish a high-quality schools that would benefit the constituents; to buy pipe and lay the pipelines for the tanks, or both.
Yours etc.,
Kenneth Nongsiej,
Via email