Kudos to SRCC
Editor,
Through your esteemed daily, I would like to share my experience at the event celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Shillong Records Collection Center (SRCC), held at St. Anthony’s College on Saturday, September 7 last.
Recently, I came across an article about (L) Bah L. Gilbert Shullai, the architect of SRCC, which piqued my curiosity about his contributions. Attending the event gave me the opportunity to witness first-hand the remarkable preservation of his extensive collection, which includes correspondence, old newspaper clippings, photographs, and his own writings and books. The collection also includes personal notes and exchanges with various personalities, each with its own story to tell, inspiring not only his contemporaries but also future generations.
The legacy of Bah Shullai and his contributions to the SRCC have left an indelible mark, and it was an honour to witness such an important part of our cultural heritage.
Yours etc.
P. Zeppuh Gangmei
NEHU, Shillong.
Urgent attention needed to resolve acute traffic jams in Shillong
Editor,
I am writing to draw attention to an increasingly concerning issue affecting the daily lives of Shillong residents—severe traffic jams that have become a persistent problem in our city. Over the past few months, the traffic congestion in Shillong has worsened significantly. Key areas, particularly around the main market, educational institutions, and major intersections, are experiencing constant gridlocks that not only disrupt the flow of traffic but also impact public safety and the overall quality of life.
Major traffic jam problem areas include: The City Center: The areas around Police Bazar and Laitumkhrah experience constant gridlock, with traffic moving at a crawl during busy hours.
Major Crossings: Intersections such as the ones near Shillong Civil Hospital and the one at Mawlai leading to the University area often see heavy traffic congestion, leading to delays and accidents.
Parking Issues: Limited parking space in central areas further compounds the problem, forcing vehicles to park haphazardly and obstruct traffic flow. Addressing these issues requires various approaches. Improved road infrastructure, better traffic management strategies, and enhanced public transportation options could be effective measures to alleviate congestion. Additionally, public awareness campaigns could help promote more responsible driving and parking habits.
I urge the relevant authorities and stakeholders to take immediate action to address these concerns. Enhanced collaboration between city planners, traffic authorities, and the community could pave the way for a more efficient and less stressful traffic experience in Shillong.
I hope this issue receives the focus it deserves, and I look forward to seeing positive changes in the near future.
Yours etc.,
Junaira Maher
Royal Global :University,
Guwahati
India’s hypocrisy
Editor,
Sometime back, there were frequent incidents of attacks, including lynchings, against minorities in India, especially those belonging to the Muslim faith. Many countries including the US., Pakistan, Turkiye and the Middle-East had raised their concerns in this regard. Among the most prominent personalities who were vocal were Barack Obama, the ex-President of the US, and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, the President of the Republic of Turkiye. Though there is no official communication, it is apparent that the administrations of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris, President and Vice President of the USA respectively, and the Governments of the UK and the countries in the European Union, had disapproved of such atrocities in India, against the minorities. India’s official stand in this regard was that these were internal affairs of India, and, at least officially, the concerns raised were never addressed.
That being the position of India, it is perplexing that the Indian Government, especially the Prime Minister of India, seems to be vocal about the atrocities in Bangladesh, an internal matter of that country. India’s PM, official readouts show, had raised the apparent atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh, in the recent carnage, in his recent telephonic conversation with Joe Biden.
This is India’s hypocrisy, and no country would accept such a perplexing stand of the country. In its neighbourhood, except perhaps for Bhutan, India stands isolated from its neighbours, as its external policies are directed to address the internal electorate. It is very clear that India’s foreign policy has suffered heavily in the recent past under Modi, and more surprisingly, under the watch of a career diplomat, S Jai Shankar, India’s foreign Minister in his second term.
Yours etc.,
D Bhutia,
Guwahati – 24
We are not going back!
Editor,
Sabir Mallik was a resident of Jibantala in the district of South 24-Parganas, West Bengal. He had been living in Badhra in Haryana with his wife and working as a scrap collector for the past three years. According to a family member of Sabir, a group of three youths went to his residence and requested him to accompany them to buy scrap from the Badhra bus stand on the afternoon of August 27. Police found his lifeless body in a nearby place on the following day. He had allegedly been lynched by a suspected cow vigilante group. But what was his fault?
His uncle, Babar Ali Mallik, said, “As my nephew was speaking Bengali, he was falsely suspected to be a Bangladeshi.” From Haryana to Odisha, Bengali speaking migrant workers are being attacked after being accused as Bangladeshis. A dangerous design that has been orchestrated in many parts of India is to label Bengalis from West Bengal as Bangladeshis and therefore, not Indians. The vulnerability of Muslims increases many folds if they are Bengali speaking. Even a Chief Minister is now giving hate speeches against Bengali Muslims.
The Chief Minister of Assam said that he would take sides against “Miya Muslims” — a discriminatory euphemism for the minority Bengali Muslim community — and would not let them “go to Upper Assam.” The Supreme Court should take suo-motu cognisance of the matter as this will destroy trust between communities, as happened between Meiteis and Kuki-Zos in Manipur.
Samirul Islam, the chairman of the West Bengal Migrant Workers’ Development Board, rightly pointed out the heinous plot to target Bengali speaking workers. He said, “It has become a threat for migrant workers from Bengal to work in BJP-ruled states. Speaking Bengali in states like BJP-run Haryana or Odisha is dangerous as aggressive groups like cow vigilantes consider them Bangladeshis.”
Those who are instigating people to hate Bengalis are totally opposed to the spirit of India’s renaissance. They want to go back to the days of sati and untouchability. Therefore, they hate Bengalis, as Bengalis gave the light of renaissance to the rest of India. This design needs to be rooted out to safeguard India’s unity and progress.
In this context, we need to listen to the call given by Kamala Harris. On every campaign for the election of the US president, she says, “We’re not going back.” This is a more appropriate slogan for our country now.
Ram Mohan Roy is the maker of modern India. He had a life-long crusade for women’s right to inheritance and property and against sati, casteism, and superstitions. The orthodox condemned him and organised a social boycott against him. As it was then, so it is now. Dabholkar, Pansare, Kalburgi, and Gauri Lankesh were killed in the 21st century for running with the torch of Raja Ram Mohan Roy. The same force is now on the prowl to attack Bengali speaking workers. Interestingly, like them, some Bengalis too describe Raja Ram Mohan Roy as a stooge of the British. But they themselves are self- haters and take great pleasure in fault-finding in anything Bengali. They, like some orthodox, regressive groups, are completely averse to Bengal’s syncretic culture.
This culture has been crafted by the likes of Sri Chaitanya, Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Lalon Fakir, Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar, Sri Ramakrishna, Tagore, Kazi Najrul Islam, and many more stalwarts.
We need to peacefully fight an ideological battle, not only to safeguard the minorities but also to reclaim the progress that we have so far achieved. We need to say that we are not going back from the spirit of India’s renaissance, the essence of our freedom struggle, and the ideals of our Constitution to the dark ages of orthodoxy and sati.
Yours etc.,
Sujit De,
Kolkata