Editor,
Through this column I appeal and humbly request the Prime Minister and other VVIPs not to Visit Shillong City. Not that I do not respect our great leaders but because of our State’s own flaws and shortcomings. I have the greatest respect for the PM of our country and would wish him to visit more often, but for the greater good of our citizens I am compelled to make such a request. The road infrastructure of Shillong is in a pathetic condition leading to huge traffic snarls across the city from time to time. During the monsoon season a single fallen tree can create a big mess to the flow of traffic in the entire city. A breakdown of a single vehicle too produces the same outcome and travelling in the highway is a nightmare for fear of our lives as landslides can occur at any stretch of the highways.
It’s understood that the PM must have been fed with a very rosy picture about the city but the ground reality is actually the opposite. In Shillong city, to reach from point A to point B we Shillongites have very little options to navigate our way through. Hence if any part of the road is closed, there is chaos of traffic snarls all over town. The centre of the city is usually completely at a standstill even if a single road is closed or not functional as almost all main roads converge together at some junction. Who is to blame for this mess? It is our lawmakers of the past and of the current dispensation. Those of the past for lack of vision and the current for dereliction of duty by not addressing or even trying to address the issue at all.
Today, as I was on my way to pick up my son from Air Force School, I was surprised to be caught in a massive traffic jam just to learn that there was some kind of rehearsal for the arrival of the PM on the following day, thanks to our babus for not having the courtesy to inform us regarding the rehearsal. Finally, I arrive two and half hours late to my son’s school and another delay of two hours while returning home, which is a big loss during examinations. All the Ambulances moving towards Civil Hospital which is a Government hospital were stranded. Many who cannot afford private hospitals normally go to this hospital. I just hope and pray for the safety of these unfortunate patients. Another sad incident that occurred was that a scooty rider had to abandon his scooty right in the middle of the road because he couldn’t move an inch probably to attend nature’s call and didn’t return till the time traffic started to flow again. I wonder where the poor fellow did his business since there are no public toilets around Barik point. I just hope he is aware of the PM’s Mission on open defecation free India since we also lack Infrastructure of Public Toilets.
Our lawmakers lack empathy and mercy towards the general public and therefore there is nothing much to expect. Our Government Departments lack the ingenuity to find solutions such as magic boxes of Bengaluru, flyovers etc., which had helped eased traffic congestion and allowed the state to buy time to come up with metros. For these reasons which had put the public in so much hardship, therefore, with a heavy heart and folded arms, I appeal and request the PM to please not to visit Shillong City.
Yours etc.,
Deity H Majaw,
Advocate,
Via email
PM expected to be non-partisan
Editor,
Hon’ble Prime Minister, Narendra Modi and Home Minister, Amit Shah will attend the swearing-in ceremony of the new NPP-led government in Meghalaya. With just two MLAs, the BJP tries to create a narrative that Meghalaya is a BJP ruled state. It is not typical for the Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy to attend the swearing-in ceremony of a state government. However, our PM has been regularly attending the swearing-in ceremonies of only BJP ruled states.
In many nations, the head of state is non-partisan, even if the prime minister and parliament are chosen in multi-party elections. Such heads of state are expected to remain neutral with regard to partisan politics.
The citizens of India expect our Prime Minister to rise above partisan politics and uphold our democracy. Democracy entails much more than elections or voting.
Yours etc.,
Marshanlang Rymbai,
Via email
Role of Opposition party/parties in a democracy
Editor,
The issues of political stability and development dominated the 11th Legislative Assembly elections in the State of Meghalaya ahead of the polls on February 27, 2023, after years of political chaos and corruption. The election results have hardly improved the situation, and the people’s verdict in Meghalaya has created conditions for another bout of coalition politics and horse trading.
After the election results virtually all the winning candidates want to be in the ruling coalition, sans pre-poll alliances. The fractured mandate has made the National People’s Party (NPP) the single largest party with 26 seats, followed by the United Democratic Party (UDP) with 11, in the 59 seats where polling was held. Various national and regional parties fared poorly, with the Indian National Congress(INC) and All India Trinamool Congress(AITC) managing to win five seats each; the Voice of People Party (VPP) four seats, and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and People Democratic Party(PDF) two seats each.
The UDP, BJP, HSPDP, and PDF were coalition partners of NPP in the last MDA government. These political parties did not form a pre-electoral coalition by publicly stating that they intend to form a government with each other if they receive enough votes in the upcoming elections. They contested the elections completely independently, and voters, therefore, do not have any opportunity to accept or reject the post-election discussions leading to a new governing coalition. Post-election alliances are a common phenomenon in Meghalaya politics.
In parliamentary democratic principles, the majority rule, reflecting the majority popular will, is a basic formal and legal criterion of a “democracy”. Within the parliament, decisions are taken by the majority, and a parliamentary system of government is characterized by the fact that the government will usually have the support of the majority. The opposition is usually in minority, and the minority as a general rule does not have the mandate to decide for the state or country. The function of the opposition is not to rule. Instead, the opposition may have other functions. How these may best be listed is arguable, but among them may be the following: (1) To offer political alternatives (2) To articulate and promote the interests of their voters (constituents) (3) To offer alternatives to the decisions proposed by the government and the majority representatives (4) To improve parliamentary decision-making procedures by ensuring debate, reflection, and contradiction (5) To scrutinise the legislative and budgetary proposals of the government (6) To supervise and oversee the government and the administration (7) To enhance stability, legitimacy, accountability and transparency in the political processes.
Meghalaya needs good governance- a participatory, consensus oriented, accountable, transparent, responsive, effective and efficient, equitable and inclusive government that follows the rule of law.
One of the most-often-heard opinions about Indian politics is the ‘lack’ of a strong opposition. Meghalaya needs strong opposition too because the opposition is one of the prerequisites for a healthy democracy in any country.
Yours etc.,
Dr. Omarlin Kyndiah,
Via email