Editor,
The hullabaloo has sets in with all the political parties making tall promises like MYE card, WE card, the 5-star Meghalaya, the FOCUS and not to forget the clean politics etc, etc, and the list goes on and on. We have witnessed many hollow political debates by all political parties debating various issues without substance. What really saddened me as a common man in the streets is that no political party dared to touch on the important subject of price rise. The question is why these wannabe political honchos totally ignored this very important issue. Perhaps the answer lies with us the electorates since we easily fall prey to freebies and tend to shy away from the real issues that really make these so called crooked political leaders to feast in. Where are the NGO’s and the pressure groups of the Jaitbynriew? Are they afraid to take up this issue fearing that their fingers will get burned. People of the state knew very well the modus operandi of these so called protectors of the Jaitbynriew and through their double standard they fooled the general public. I really doubt they have the guts to cut the hands that feed them and they don’t really care about the suffering of the poor people of the state. Do we as common people know that this issue of price rise has really pinched our pockets or are we ignorant enough to turn the other cheek. What I fear the most is that if this issue is brush under the carpet, a free for all and looting may not be that far behind and God forbid there may come a time where anarchy may spill to the streets and the consequences will be very high. As we may well aware that nearly 75% of the electorates are below the age of 35, so the youth will decide the future of the state and the ball is really in their court. To conclude, I don’t believe in clean politics with dirty politician rather I prefer a clean politician in dirty politics.
Yours etc.
Tyngshainphar Sawian
Nongshiliang, Malki
Tribal-non-tribal issue a cheap gimmick by candidates to fool voters
Editor,
I am flabbergasted to see the claim of BJP candidate of North Shillong constituency M. Kharkrang that regional parties should not seek non-tribal votes (ST, dated 17/02/2023). By that logic, will it not be appropriate to counterclaim that National Party like BJP should not have the right to ask for tribal votes? I think these are cheap gimmicks by the candidates to woo and fool the non-tribal voters which are sizeable in this constituency and some other constituencies.
Dear non-tribal friends, don’t get fooled by these cunning rhetoric of the candidates projecting themselves as your savior. These are the same people who don’t care about the plight of our own Khasi-Pnar/Bhoi/Garo brothers and sisters and given a chance will loot all our share of development. If you look at the nooks and corners of the State, almost in every constituency represented by tribal MLAs, you will see the glaring display of public representative’s apathy towards their own so-called ‘My People/Tribe’ when it comes to development. How do you expect them to take care of you when they are least bothered about their own tribes? They only care about themselves and that is why, while their properties/assets will grow up to 100-500% in 5 years if they win, you will only get sufferings in equal proportion. The ones who truly care about you will not segregate you or use you only as a vote bank. You should vote for someone who considers you all as equal partners in the process of development of your constituencies and the State as a whole, irrespective of caste, creed, religion or community. Right now, everyone will pretend to be a saint and the protector. Once they win, baring very few of them, it will be ‘Baap Bada Na Bhaiyya, Sabse Bada Rupiah’ (loosely translated to ‘Money is supreme to everyone). We all have seen it for decades how it gets played out after the elections. I know it’s very difficult for the candidates who are trying every trick to win the election to be honest enough, but the fact of the matter is development of an area/constituency or the State as a whole cannot be fragmented in line of communities; rather it should be a holistic one-development for everyone.
Perhaps, M. Kharkrang has forgotten their tallest leader’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas’, summed up as ‘Jan Bhagidari (Taking all together for inclusive development through collective trust and participation)’ in the developmental process. Honourable Modi ji, beware! Your party men are betraying your ideology in Meghalaya!
Yours etc.
Prof. Lakhon Kma
Lawsohtun
Will the electorate give a clear mandate to Meghalaya?
Editor,
We have elected legislators and political parties supporting the legislators in the past without weighing the capability of thinking for the future of the state and its citizens and hence results in negligence of education leading to poor developments and the state we are in today. The rise and the developments we could see in the United States of America, leading European countries, other developed states of India, etc., arose from the preference to include education as first priority of the government. I am very sorry to say that we have not understood yet the role played by education in the developments of our state.
Now we could see and sense from media reports that in this Assembly Election 2023 the people are anxious to vote for a change of government leading to a better governance, but from the interactions we had with the electorates in almost all the constituencies in Khasi and Jaintia Hills it is anticipated that there will be a change from a bad to the worse government. May I request the electorate to be responsible by rethinking for a better tomorrow during these few remaining days before exercising their franchise on February 27, 2023. Let us not put ourselves into a decision for a chaotic state that may disturb peace and harmony in our way of life.
It will not be difficult for anyone to predict the result of the election on March 2, 2023 and the outcome of it will be the formation of a coalition government that will still neglect education which may be worse than the MDA government we have experienced so far. I bet that with the new government we will experience more problems (especially on unemployment, improvements of educational and health levels, repayment of loans taken by the past governments and other development activities, etc.) as they have been created by the past governments. The beginning of rough days ahead are waiting for us so we have to be prepared for accepting the challenges whatever be the hardship it puts us through. Change your mindsets while time is still with us (however short it may be) for the betterment of the future of our children and grand children or be ready to accept the blame that we are the one who have brought out all the hardships in their life.
Again, with our poor selection of legislators, we have not got the authority to carry out a policy or course of action, regarded as given by the electorate to a party or candidate that wins an election, so we have been experiencing worse governments ignoring the importance of education for the past fifty years plus with negligible developments in all sectors of our state, so it is important to review our decision now that we don’t regret in future. The decision we make now will be so important and crucial that it may save us from becoming the Frankenstein who will be a creator of future problems. I am 100% sure that if we make correct decision at this stage, we can hope to see good governance with full concentration on education leading to developments in all spheres which can give us peace and harmony in our lifestyles.
Yours etc.
Louis Pyngrope
Riatsamthiah