Editor,

I felt sad reading the article, “Searching fort pine needles ….by Patricia Mukhim (ST Jan 20,2012). Sad that the most precious part of the so called “tribal” structure is disappearing due to greed and materialism. The egalitarianism we saw in our childhood in the Khasi community was so inspiring. Wasn’t land communally owned at one time? We Indians have discovered private property, but not the great American virtues that balance out the ill effects of materialism … the virtue of charity. Americans have a culture of donating and volunteering. They make money with one hand and give it away with the other. I wish we had this sense of obligation and responsibility for one another. We do indeed need a revolution … a quiet revolution full of love.

 I know Netaji’s anniversary just went by … but I am always somewhat reticent to love a nation too blindly. Real love for the nation should have embedded in it love for humanity as such … otherwise it runs the risk of turning fanatic and idolatrous. My main grudge against my mother’s nationalist generation was why they did so little for the liberation of women. I think we in India need a personal revolution … I mean a regimen of self purification that makes us begin in small ways by simply loving our neighbors and one another in the family. Not empty emotional love, but love through charitable action. And love begins with respect. Unless we learn to respect one another regardless of class, language, etc., how can we expect the world to respect us?

 Yours etc.,

Deepa Majumdar,

Via email

Caste no bar; time for social change

Editor,

This has reference to the letter written by Parimal Bhattacharjee and I totally agree with him. What makes me optimistic today is that that Mr.Parimal in spite of being a Brahmin himself has agreed to the point that priesthood should not be confined to Brahmins only. At least I feel that I was not wrong when I raised this issue through your esteemed daily. This reflects that we are indeed aware that such monopoly is to be done away with. We are educated and live in a civilized society. If one can learn French and Spanish then he  can also learn Sanskrit (which actually a lot of non Brahmins do) and the relevant mantras for conducting relevant pujas. I am sure many more people will agree to me. In that case can the Hindus of Shillong set another example of doing away with the caste system by actually practising  it? I am sure we can. I am quoting Mahatma Gandhi here who said “Untouchability is a crime”. Would we like to be addressed as criminals or civilised and social people. I leave it to our social thinkers to answer this question.

Yours etc.,

Partha Protim Roy

Kolkata 700084.

GNLA – communal to the core

Editor,

My personal opinion regarding transferring back the Khasi-Jaintia Government employees who are the targets of GNLA is a practical suggestion. Not only that, even other non-tribal employees should also be transferred back. If Mr. Paul Lyngdoh’s suggestion is being interpreted as “communal”, then is there anyone to tell me why only others & Non-Garo employees are abducted, and are being extorted? Why is such treatment not meted out by the extremists to the Garo employees? Is it not already a communal act?

Yours etc.,

Dr AD Roye,

Vie ema