What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander
Editor,
The row over the Cherry Blossom festival has spiralled in all walks of society lately. It is baffling yet intriguing to see the sudden enthusiasm of holiness of the many hypocrites when in reality they won’t be able to recite a single relevant Biblical reference to back their hegemonic demands. The Government should not bend to the whims and fancies of these so called Christian crusaders and if it does then it smacks of an appeasement attitude. The picture painted by the many self- proclaimed devotees that this particular festival will not be held, are too idealistic to consider. The Government should maintain equipoise between different sects of our societies by distancing itself from any religious affairs.
Any dealings with religion should be maintained at the private and individual sphere. The spirit of liberalism should prevail upon each one of us for a state of peace and solidarity. “What’s sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander,” holds true in this context. The Government while accommodating one section of society should not do so at the cost of the other, keeping in mind that spiritual matters should be kept aloof from politics.
Yours etc.,
Kevin Shangpliang,
Via email
Leaking water pipes of Shillong
Editor,
Today, I would like to draw your attention towards a pressing issue that affects the daily lives of Shillong’s residents – the problem of leaking water pipes. Shillong, known for its natural beauty and vibrant culture, has been grappling with a growing concern – a deteriorating water supply system. The leaking water pipes in various parts of the city have become a significant cause for concern. This issue is not just an inconvenience but poses a serious threat to the city’s water security.
Consequences of Leaking Water Pipes:
Wastage of a Precious Resource. Every drop that leaks from these pipes is a wasted resource, especially in a world where water scarcity is a growing concern.
Financial Burden: The constant repairs and maintenance of these pipes put a strain on the municipal budget, which could be utilized for other essential services.
Health Risks: Leaking pipes can lead to contaminated water, increasing the risk of water borne diseases.
Environmental Impact: The wastage of water has ecological implications, impacting our local environment and water bodies.
It’s time for all of us to come together and address this issue.
Here’s how each one of us can help:
* Report Leaks: If we notice any leaking pipes, we should report them to the local authorities promptly. Our vigilance can make a significant difference. Let’s Conserve Water: In our homes, practice water conservation by fixing any leaks within our properties and let’s use water judiciously.
* Support Maintenance Efforts: Understand that the municipality is working tirelessly to fix these issues. We ought to be patient and supportive.
* Advocacy: Let’s join or support local initiatives that advocate for water infrastructure improvements in Shillong.
Water is a fundamental resource, and its wastage affects us all. Let’s take collective responsibility and work towards a Shillong where clean and accessible water is a reality for every citizen. Together, we can overcome the challenge of leaking water pipes and build a sustainable and thriving community.
Yours etc.,
Kishor Ramchiary.
Via email
Why indulge in name change?
Editor,
Recently a high-level committee for social sciences constituted by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) to revise the school curriculum has recommended replacing ‘India’ with ‘Bharat’ in new textbooks. This is a follow-up to government’s actions of sending out a G20 Summit dinner invitation in the name of the ‘President of Bharat’ instead of President of India and declaring Narendra Modi as the ‘Prime Minister of Bharat’ in a government booklet on the Prime Minister’s visit to Indonesia for the ASEAN – India Summit and the East Asia Summit.
All these happened just after the opposition parties made an alliance under the banner of Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance or INDIA. The ruling party at the Centre after naming various programmes and initiatives as Digital India, Skill India, Start-up India, Stand Up India and Make in India, suddenly started creating an impression that there was an urgent need to replace internationally popular name of our country (India) with the local name (Bharat).
If such a replacement really happened in every sphere, it would result in a loss of valuable time and public money. The Supreme Court of India, India Post, Reserve Bank of India, SBI, CBI, IITs, Government of India and many others are to change their nameplates in such a scenario. From currency notes to letterheads everything is to be changed.
The Outlook Business report estimated a whopping expenditure for ‘India’ to become ‘Bharat’ using the Darren Oliver method. Oliver calculated the cost of renaming a country when Swaziland was renamed Eswantini. Apart from this huge financial expenditure, our country has to bear a terrible emotional cost. ‘India’ is a word that not only helped emotional integration of our country but also it acted as an emotional and historical bridge to connect with the rest of the world. By this word, the world recognises a country that has a civilisation (Indus valley) as early as in 2500 BCE. It is pertinent to recall the name of a book, Arthur Llewellyn Basham’s ‘The Wonder That Was India’ to understand the value of the word ‘India’ as it is totally associated with our country’s historical as well as present international identity. It would be a great loss if this emotional international connect has to go out of the window to satisfy a temporary need of the ruling political party.
Our Constitution accepted both India and Bharat as the name of our country but rightly gave priority to India over Bharat by declaring “India that is Bharat” and not vice versa. Article 1(1) of the Constitution of India clearly says, “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.” This was a judicious step. Many countries like Japan, Germany and China gave priority to their respective international names over their local names to get maximum advantage in international trade, politics and global recognition.
Nippon gave priority to its internationally popular name Japan. Bundesrepublik Deutschland also did the same to its international name Germany. Similarly Zhongguo (or Zhonghua Renmin Gong He Guo) does not mind to be recognised as China (or People’s Republic of China). South and North Korea embraced the English name for the same reason. Spanish ‘España’ also accepted English ‘Spain’ as the official name of their country. There is no problem in retaining two names of a country. But it is a wise decision to give priority to an internationally accepted name over the local name.
India is as much a foreign word as the word ‘Hindu’ is. ‘Hindu’ is a Persian cognate form of the Sanskrit ‘Sindhu’ which came into currency with the Achaemenid Persian conquest of the Indus valley that began in the 6th century BCE. As a matter of fact many words in Indian languages like ‘Hindustan’ have a foreign root. But they have been assimilated in Indian languages and culture.
If the process of replacing internationally recognised name of our country with the local name continued, it would result in a considerable loss to the exchequer and an irreparable damage to our international position and identity.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata