Editor,
The news item “From empowerment to rights of tribals, LS candidate spells out plans for Shillong seat” (ST 19 March, 2024) made interesting reading but there is a flaw in the news which reads, “Citing GG Swell who won four times as an Independent candidate….”. To set the historical record straight, Professor (Late) George Gilbert Swell never won four times as an Independent Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha from 1 Shillong Parliamentary Constituency. The first time Professor Swell contested as an Independent was in 1977 from 1 Shillong Parliamentary Constituency and he came third polling 38,841 votes while the winner was (Late) Hoping Stone Lyngdoh of the HSPDP who secured 55,732 votes and defeated (Late) Peter Garnette Marbaniang of the INC by a margin of 4765 votes. The second time Professor Swell contested from 1 Shillong Parliamentary Constituency was in 1984 from the Indian National Congress securing 1,42,638 votes defeating Dr. (Late) B Pakem who contested as an Independent candidate, by a margin of 50,826 votes. In 1989 Prof. Swell contested as an Independent candidate and was defeated by a margin of 13,285 votes by Peter Garnette Marbaniang of the Indian National Congress. In 1991 Professor Swell contested as an Independent again and was again defeated by Peter Garnette Marbaniang of the INC by a margin of 19,390 votes. In 1996 Professor Swell contested as an Independent candidate and defeated INC candidate, Donwa Dethwelson Lapang by a margin of 79,302 votes where Lapang secured 1,32,903 votes. The last time Professor Swell contested from the 1 Shillong Parliamentary Constituency was in 1998 from the United Democratic Party (UDP). He was defeated by Mr PR Kyndiah of the Indian National Congress by a margin of 6012 votes. Professor Swell polled 1,73,851 votes and PR Kyndiah polled 1,79,863 votes.
Yours etc.,
V.K.Lyngdoh,
Via email
True meaning of religion
Editor
I am writing to express my sincere gratitude for the wonderful article,
“What does being Christain mean?” (TST, Mar 19, 2024) by Yona M. Nonglang.
It was ethical, poetic, and learned — at the same time, impassioned and expressive.
Any sincere Christian should appreciate this kind of an appeal to a return to Truth. As Gandhi and others (including St. Augustine) have said, Truth is God. Such articles should also be written about Hinduism and other religions overtaken and distorted by extremists.
The destroyers of religion are not just outsiders. Far more insidious are those who destroy religion from within – by losing their anchor in the living Truth, which is the God of our experience and consciousness.
Yours etc.,
Deepa Majumdar,
Via email
Need to further amend CAA vide Ordinance
Editor,
I am writing this letter after careful consideration of the subject matter, despite initial hesitation arising from the prevalence of prior discussions on this topic. It is prudent to exercise caution when broaching potentially controversial topics within this esteemed column of the newspaper.
The Citizenship Amendment Act of 2019, introduced by the Government of India (GOI) with the intention of granting citizenship to stateless individuals fleeing religious persecution in their countries of origin, is a commendable initiative. However, the drafting of this legislation has unfortunately led to significant criticism, primarily due to perceived bias against certain communities.
The decision to explicitly mention specific religious groups such as Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians within the amending Act has inadvertently invited substantial backlash. This amplification of the term “persecuted religious minorities” has been interpreted as being prejudiced against a religion and has attracted widespread criticism, both domestically and internationally.
Regrettably, what was intended as a clarification of the term “religious minorities” has been misconstrued, tarnishing the reputation of the GOI as being officially non-secular for the first time. Despite efforts by the Ministry of External Affairs to mitigate the fallout from this poorly drafted legislation, it remains challenging to suppress international condemnation.
It is worth noting that without this clause, there would have been limited opportunity for opposition parties to contest the ruling administration. In light of the significant national and international backlash, the central government may consider issuing a Presidential ordinance to remove the contentious clause from the CAA-2019.
Such an action would help to restore the spirit of the Citizenship Amendment Act and demonstrate a willingness to prioritize the interests of the nation over the image of any particular political party. Sometimes, gracefully acknowledging shortcomings is preferable to maintaining a stance of arrogance.
Yours etc.,
Krishna Chettri
Shillong -2
Effect of Anant Ambani’s pre-wedding celebration
Editor,
The pre-marriage celebration of the wealthiest man’s son, Anant Ambani, left everyone’s jaws dropping. With every moment of the event covered around the clock by the electronic media, it was a windfall for them. Many saw this extensive coverage as nothing less than blessings upon the commoners, so everyone enjoyed it. Thanks to the wealth of Mukesh Ambani, Indians were able to witness things they would not have otherwise been able to experience. Money talks, money broadcasts, and money thus makes one go crazy. Besides top tycoons like Bill Gates, Ivanka Trump, and Mark Zuckerberg, pop sensation Rihanna was invited all the way from America to liven up the occasion. Indeed, a great attraction for the event! Selected Bollywood celebrities also graced the event, adding to everyone’s joy with their performances on stage. So, all performers were lavishly paid, with Rihanna herself said to have demanded a staggering 73 crore. Of course, this sheer level of extravagance and opulence is sure to set a benchmark in the world of wastefulness for the future. But it is none of our business to be judgmental.
However, while the magnificence of these celebrations may be out of reach for 99.9% of the population, they serve as a reminder of the exceptional lifestyles led by the super-wealthy and the fascination they command. It’s as if marriage has become less about the wishes for “eternal love” and more about who can “outshine” all others with their flamboyant display of wealth and excess. Ambani’s event has also given “legitimacy to extravagance,” silencing those who disagree.
True, the mega event is over and all guests have returned, but its “impact,” in the form of new ideas, innovation, and, for some inspiration, is sure to stay. They will affect society in multiple ways. What big shots do will usually be copied by others. So, no wonder, now such shows of opulence and extravagant entertainment will be gradually emulated by other rich people, just as children blindly copy their parents.
While many may not be able to afford the likes of Rihanna, invitations to grace pre-wedding celebrations with top actors and actresses from Tinsel Town are likely to become commonplace soon. With time, its effect will permeate all through society. Even the lower middle-class people will find ways to splurge on such unwarranted matrimonial festivities. However, individuals and families who can’t afford it, or who don’t want to, might run the risk of being looked down upon, facing social stigma.
I wonder who can guarantee that, with the passage of time, such show-off practices will not become equivalent to the “scourge of dowry”? Despite being “outlawed,” the dowry practice continues to hold sway over the majority of Indian society. Just as the dowry culture has punctured the hearts of countless sacred marriages with domestic violence, holy matrimony will be quite likely to be polluted by over displays of wealth and glamour laced with titillation. Also, this trend, if left unchecked, could be one of the prime causes of social degeneration. It is likely that marital relationships will then be measured only in terms of money spent on flashy arrangements and frivolous entertainment, with traditional rituals and values being just shrugged aside. Should we really want the whisper of mutual understanding, sacrifice, and love to be drowned out by the cacophony of frivolity and flaunting one’s riches?
Finally, I wish Ambani had chosen to spend 50% of the money lavished on the pre-wedding celebration on feeding the hungry mouths instead, given the country’s abysmal hunger index. God’s blessings would have surely multiplied fiftyfold compared to what the Ambani families received from high-profile guests.
Yours truly,
Salil Gewali,
Shillong