Editor,
I often write my observations on matters of interest to me after reading, ‘The Shillong Times,’ but I don’t post them. The Nity Aayog’s findings that places Meghalaya at the lower end in many areas filled me with deep anguish and shame. How has Meghalaya ‘booked’ its place as India’s second poorest state? It began when both politicians and bureaucrats shamelessly lost their commitment in their ‘Duty of Care’!
I expected a response from the Government the very next day denying Niti Aayog’s findings as has been the habit when Meghalaya’s index fell to the lowest in education, school dropouts, most corrupt state, et al! But nothing was forthcoming. Of late the daily news have been shocking and depressing. The news report, ”HNYM arms villagers with bows and arrows (ST July 5, 2023), opened my eyes to the financial bleeding of the state! HNYM President Louis Dohtdong highlights, ”wasteful expenditure of public money” that has to be plugged too! Political appointments are not just appeasement posts, but also suspiciously nefarious! Then bringing in outside private consultants costs the exchequer heavily. (I know first hand how exorbitant are their charges!).
Imagine what 60 consultants are charging (over and under the table. Under the table is just my assumption!) And appointments of, ”MLAs who were defeated in the Assembly elections,” are another bleeding jugular! The CM says that these (failed) MLAs who are appointed as Chairmen, Co-chairmen, etc. of various Boards get Rs. 20,000 per month as salary. But the total compensation is never disclosed! If my estimation is correct, they receive probably two lakhs at the minimum!
And I wonder if the state can turn around and accomplish the target of a 10 billion dollar economy in five years time! How political leaders are taking the ordinary people for a ride by painting rosy pictures of the future and with false promises just beats me! They are not afraid of God it appears! And this belief together with Friday’s devotional theme, “Authentic Christianity of Our Daily Bread,” has prompted me to write this letter. I learn that, ”Those who are indwelt by and dependent on the Spirit of Jesus are humble and self-effacing.” It goes on to say how such people are touched by the suffering of others, and they long for the goodness in others because they are merciful to those who struggle and fail.
May our political and civil leaders be guided by Our Daily Bread meditations!
Yours etc.
Kevin Phillips,
Shillong – 19
Meghalaya in the doldrums
Editor,
The current state of affairs in Meghalaya seem to have reached a dead end and its despicable governance is a laughing stock in the print, electronic and on social media. From the mishandling of the state finances to a dwindling fall in the per capita income equating us with Bihar, from the highest drop-out rate in education to the least performing state and adding another feather to its cap is being the “most corrupt state,” in the country as certified by none other than the Prime Minister himself during his pre-election tour to Meghalaya. We have a hilltop of garbage stacked up with each passing day and no solution. There’s water scarcity, high inflation, traffic congestion, failing education system and an ultra- rich group of so-called elitist manufacturing poverty in the society. Then there are pressure groups who jump every now and then for a media hype and later vanishing into thin air. Where is the state going to in the next five years? No one knows but we are flattered with dreams and imagined future, forgetting that the present state of affairs is a culmination of political foolhardiness and lack of foresight by the political dispensation that has allowed the state to reach a new low.
Our state is now in a severe debt trap and its possible that we are going to be another Sri Lanka. And the less we speak of a Smart City the better.
Yours etc.,
Dominic S. Wankhar
Via email
Hate speech should be curbed immediately
Editor,
The present tension-riddled environment in some parts of the country due to various reasons must be curbed immediately so that it does not trigger similar incidents elsewhere. In a shocking instance of a hate crime, a Railway Protection Force constable shot dead his senior and three passengers on board the Jaipur-Mumbai Central Express near Palghar station in Maharashtra and in a video clip, the remorseless accused is seen standing beside a blood-soaked body and uttering hate-filled words which are objectionable and condemnable. The hate-filled rant and the cold-blooded murders leave no room for doubt that the communal virus has deeply permeated our society and there is need to control such ideology which is already tarnishing the image of the country.
Even as the G20 conference is being held in India such incidents are being transmitted outside the country within a short period. In the present incident the accused mentioned the names of the Prime Minister and the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister while giving a blood-curdling warning to India’s Muslims, lays bare the unwillingness of the political leadership to deal with such type of hate speeches. Çommunal tensions have turned countless neighbourhoods across India into a tinderbox that gets ignited by a mere spark – a remark inciting violence or a provocative show of strength in a minority-dominated locality. The clashes that erupted in Haryana’s Nuh over a religious procession are now scorching other districts of the state too and now the onus is on the police to arrest and prosecute rioters and also those indulging in hate speech-else the government’s inaction would be read as its complicity.
I would like to mention here that the hate speeches used by a BJP spokesperson has tarnished the country’s image in other countries also. The Supreme Court had come up with severe strictures against such statements. The Supreme Court judgement is meant for all political leaders who for their political gains make hate speeches. The nation’s unity must remain intact and there should not be any harm to the social fabric of the society which the country had achieved after a long and continuous struggle and the nefarious designs of antisocial elements should be defeated at all levels.
Proper enquiry should be conducted and the guilty should be punished and compensation paid to the injured the families of those killed. It is imperative that this issue is addressed with utmost seriousness and those responsible for orchestrating the riots should be to brought to book and full justice be provided to the innocent victims. We should not forget that there are forces at work which want to create Manipur-like situations in other parts of the country and this is evident in the manner in which revengeful action was taken in the neighbouring districts. Come to think of it, had the law been enforced properly, a man accused of lynching two would not have been roaming around fomenting trouble.
In the heart of the nation, where unity in diversity has been our strength for centuries, it is painful to see such riots in Nuh. The clashes that erupted in this region have not only shaken the local populace but have also raised crucial questions about our society’s resilience and harmony. Nuh, often referred to as the ‘Mecca of Meos,’ has historically been home to diverse communities living side by side. Communal vio-
lence is often fuelled by vested interests seeking to exploit sentiments based on religious or ethnic identities for personal or political gain. Inflammatory speeches and divisive narratives circulated through social media can incite emotions and lead to a breakdown of the social fabric, turning neighbours into enemies. The role of law enforcement and community leaders cannot be undermined in addressing and preventing such outbreaks.
Political leaders should prioritise the well-being of the community over personal gains and work towards unity. Only through open dialogue, economic empowerment, and political integrity can we hope to prevent the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents and ensure a brighter, united future for our nation where peace prevails.
Yours etc.,
Yash Pal Ralhan,
Via email