Editor,
I read with interest and I listened with concern to people of all walks of life ranting on corruption free politics. Who does not want a clean and transparent government? But the question is, will we ever get such a government? Here what I see is a battle of ideology against pragmatism. To speak of a corruption free government anywhere in the world and much more in India, is to engage oneself in a futile exercise. To think of clean politics in any society is like looking for a green elephant in the jungle. As the Bible tells us, we human beings are tainted by sin and we are perpetually under the influence of sin. The epistle to the Romans says “no one is righteous, no not one” (Rom 3:10). Thus corruption, greed, jealousy, name any vice you know, are only the manifestations of our human frailty and sin-prone nature.
Coming back to politics, I have witnessed a lot of good, righteous and ethical persons, who entered politics with a good intention of being “different from others,” yet finally most of them ended up being “worse than others.” Frankly speaking I feel nauseated to hear people speaking endlessly of clean politics and corruption-free government or politicians. An ideal and corruption-free government exists only in Das Kapital of Karl Marx. In reality no such society exists anywhere in the world. Perhaps the difference is only in the degree of corruption. Even the VPP, a new entrant in Meghalaya politics, will not escape the influence of a corrupt system in spite of their vehement claim of striving to be clean and transparent. Those who go around boasting of this new party, will one day unmistakably end up becoming its most bitter critics. The tentacles of corruption in politics are so far reaching that no individual politician or party will ever escape its suffocating grip.
However, we still have a saving factor in democracy, namely, that we the voters have the power to vote in or out any politician or party that does not fulfill our expectations. Today’s government may be corrupt, but in the coming election we can vote it out. In a democracy the fault of any government lies principally with the voters who are the electors. If we think that a government is corrupt why do we still vote it in? Finally, it is of no use criticizing the new government but rather let us become more enlightened, more righteous and more responsible electors in the future.
Yours etc.,
Barnes Mawrie sdb,
Via email
NPP’s dismal show in Khasi-Jaintia Hills
Editor,
The recent results of the 11th Meghalaya State election on March 2, have self-evidently demonstrated that in the entire part of the State inhabited by the Hynñiewtrep tribes which constitute 36 seats of the total 60 allotted seats, the NPP could capture only 8 seats, 4 seats apiece from Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills respectively. Converting to mathematical calculations it transpires that NPP has hardly won a 22% of Assembly seats assigned to this part of the State. Perhaps, such a beggarly percentage bagged by the NPP has unleashed emotional disillusionment among the Hynñiewtrep people as demonstrated at massive public rallies. Some have opined this consequential outcome post election results ought not be made light of or played down in times to come!
Yours etc.,
Jerome k Diengdoh,
Shillong-2,
Online shoppers beware
Editor,
Through your esteemed paper, I would like to apprise the online shoppers about a devious activity that is going on in the city with respect to the delivery of online items. One needs to take certain precautions while one discards off the packet that comes along with the stuff that is bought online. The receipt attached to the packet has to be destroyed before the packet is trashed. Leaving it intact is not safe. Fraudsters have now found a way to cheat customers. They pick the receipt as well as the packets from the trash. Next, they use the packet, put some old item, seal it neatly, attach the receipt slip in the packet and then it is sent out for a cash on delivery basis. Apparently, this ploy to dupe the customers can only be successfully carried out when the delivery agent is also in collusion. I was a victim to such a fraud on March 7, 2023 perpetrated by a delivery boy who normally delivers stuff from Amazon. The Amazon agent had brought two items with him, one was a packet that is listed with Amazon and another that is unlisted. For the unlisted packet, I was asked to pay Rs. 1499. Trusting the boy because he was always the same person who brings home items I had ordered from Amazon and because I was also awaiting some more online items, I unsuspectingly, without checking related messages on my phone, paid guy and took the packet. I got a rude shock when I opened the packet. It contained an old and tattered dress. Since the delivery boy was within earshot, I called him back to return the packet but he refused to take it, explaining that he had already entered a message on his phone that the item was delivered. He neither took back the packet nor did he return my money. Realising that I still had one more option to recover my money, I began scanning the barcode on the receipt to reach out to the company in order to make a complaint, but to my dismay, the scanned result showed a random number. It then dawned on me that I had been duped.
In this instance, I must admit that I had been a little careless. Had I checked my phone for the delivery details, I would not have landed in such a tight spot. Normally, online stores send alerts on the delivery status of items ordered. Today, I overlooked all that and ended up being the loser.
Yours etc.,
Aiom Phyrnai Shabong,
Via email
Farewell to the man with a mission
Editor,
Through your esteemed daily I would like to share my grief and sorrow with the members of the bereaved family of (L) Bah AH Scot Lyngdoh.
With a heavy heart I learnt about the demise of Bah Aubrey with whom I had a very cordial relation. I was associated with him during the Shillong Centenary celebration in 1975. For the first time tableaus of different communities irrespective of caste, creed and religion participated in the tableau movement right from the Shillong Club premises and culminating at the State Central Library travelling via different thoroughfares of Shillong. A person of amiable nature, he was a soft- spoken person and always helped address the problems of people and solved them during his tenure as the CEO of the Shillong Municipal Board. I have no words to express my grief and sorrow and pray that God grants his soul eternal peace and the family the strength to bear this irreparable loss. The people of Police Bazar will always remain grateful to him, who helped them with all he could within his capacity and to their satisfaction.
Once again I offer my condolences to one and all associated with his family. I would like to quote Shakespeare’s beautiful words from “Hamlet”
“Good night Sweet Prince May the flight of Angels take thee to eternal rest”.
Yours etc.,
S L Singhania,
Via email