Editor,
Almost a week has passed and we have had no response so far to the anguished plea of a NEHU student. A letter titled, “A Student’s Plea for Sanity Amidst the Noise at NEHU” was published in the Shillong Times on Dec 24, 2025. At last a student has spoken, even though she/he wrote the letter as “Name Withheld”.
I imagine that there are numerous nameless students in our state. School students who feel that there is no point going to school, college students who find themselves in meaningless degree courses and then drop out, and now a student whose dreams have been dashed by the imbroglio at NEHU.
It is a sad and poignant state of affairs, when the mis-steps, machinery and machinations of our education system has led to another generation of students feeling a sense of hopelessness. The State Education Commission Report has led to some public discourse, but no perceptible action so far.
Yesterday’s Shillong Times carried a front-page article called “2025 in Review”. It only highlighted tales of murder and rape. Horrendous as these crimes were, this priority speaks of our human tendency to focus on the sensational and salacious. The media merely reflects society’s mindsets. Surely there were significant stories about education, health or rural economics in Meghalaya in 2025.
The sad situation of our youth should be a first-line agenda. Yet their voices have not been heard. The State Education Commission Report had no survey, views, or suggestions from students. Gen Z has made headline political news in Bangladesh, Nepal and Morocco and this generation of students and professionals have been the frequent subject of corporate discourse, but in our state it is still the oldies who dominate public fora.
“Name Withheld” was a witness to the humiliation of the NEHU Pro VC. This was the scene, “I watched in disbelief as my fellow students yelled at the Pro-VC, Prof Sumarbin Umdor. They pointed fingers, raised their voices, and screamed at a senior academic as if they were far more educated than he was. They treated a Professor, a man who has dedicated his life to academia, with the kind of disdain one wouldn’t even show to a stranger on the street and forced him to resign as the Pro VC.” The entire letter makes sombre reading.
Dr Sumarbin Umdor is well-known as a committed teacher and expert economist, an elder whom our Khasi society should be proud of. He doesn’t need anybody’s certificate. It is a symptom of a broken society, when we pull down our own respected leaders. What will we have after that? We have already seen the futility of demands made to the Centre. Who knows how long it will take for the Education Ministry to respond?
Meanwhile another generation of students will fall by the wayside and the state will lose the potential of their contributions, if we don’t act soon. The government has brought in some promising initiatives, such as the Meghalaya Academy for Teacher Education and the MPOWER project for adolescents. Perhaps civil society can get organised and be a constructive partner to build a better future for our youth.
Yours etc.,
Glenn C Kharkongor,
Via email
Shameless Attack on Christians
Editor,
The repeated and unchecked atrocities against Christians in India on the eve of Christmas celebrations again presents a shameful stain on the moral fabric of our nation. Fringe elements operating under the banners of so-called cultural organizations such as Bajrang Dal and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) continue to indulge in acts of vandalism, intimidation, and violence with alarming regularity only to walk away scot-free, emboldened by silence and impunity. This time, the brutality has crossed yet another red line: even a differently-abled person was not spared. What kind of society are we becoming when physical vulnerability evokes cruelty instead of compassion? What kind of nationalism celebrates strength while preying on the weak? What deepens this moral contradiction is that even as such acts of vandalism by saffron goons were taking place, the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, made a visit to a church in Delhi an image-heavy gesture that rings hollow when Christians on the ground continue to face violence, fear, and denial of justice. Symbolism without accountability offers little solace to victims.
Let it be stated clearly: an attack on the peace-loving Christian community is not merely an attack on a minority but it is an attack on the very foundations of Indian democracy. Our Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, dignity, and equality before the law. When these guarantees are selectively denied, democracy itself is wounded. The hypocrisy on display is impossible to ignore. These same fringe elements are quick to protest loudly and publicly against alleged atrocities on Hindu minorities in Bangladesh. Yet where is their remorse, their restraint, their respect for “hurt sentiments” when Christians are attacked within India? Do Christian lives not matter? Are their sentiments and faith less worthy of protection? If the situation in Bangladesh really hurts them, are Christians not equally hurt in their own backyard?
Selective outrage is not patriotism. Silence in the face of injustice is not nationalism. And violence masquerading as cultural defence is nothing but moral cowardice. Those in power, law-enforcement agencies, and opinion-makers who turn a blind eye must understand this: history does not absolve silence. Every unpunished act of hate becomes an invitation for the next one. India’s strength has always lain in its pluralism, its ability to protect the smallest minority with the same seriousness as the largest majority. If that promise is betrayed, we lose not only our credibility before the world, but our soul as a nation. The time to speak is now. The time to act is now. Justice delayed and denied will only deepen the fractures that threaten our shared future. I appeal to those who Choose Silence Over Conscience, please defend the integrity of India before it’s too late. Let us build a strong India with a strong secular fabric.
Yours etc.,
HT Wells,
Shillong
