Time for introspection
AJP after the poll debacle should have gone for introspection. They should try to build their organization at the grassroots level, but instead of doing so, the top-level leaders are busy holding press conferences and criticizing the government. On 15th May, a press conference was called by Lurinjyoti Gogoi and Jagdish Bhuyan in their party office where they questioned the Himanta Biswa Sarma-led government over the shuffling of police officers. This is s common practice adopted by any newly formed government which is going on for over the years, and that is permissible under the purview of the Constitution. Merely holding press meets and criticizing the government without any rhyme and reason is not going to make their organization strong. The leaders should first pinch themselves why they didn't win a single seat? Why both the president and the general secretary of the party lost by huge margins (both finished third in their respective constituencies)? In the present crisis time, they should lend their helping hands to the common people and also leave aside politics for the time being and cooperate with the government to fight against the pandemic. This would go a long way in building confidence and trust among the masses.
Julie Bhuyan,
Gaurisagar.
Police approach and behaviour
A video has gone viral wherein Anjani Kumar, the Commissioner of Police, Hyderabad, is seen addressing policemen urging them to show empathy and restrain the use of "lathi", especially against the poor. He also requested the police to help the people, and arrange for masks, food, etc.
Compared to this we hear the DGP of Assam threatening to act against people if they violate the law, and initiate punitive action by taking cognizance of such acts as "attempts to murder". This is not in order.
Whenever there is disturbance or crisis in policing, or policemen are found guilty (like the recent leakage of question papers in police recruitment in Assam), many senior police officers went hammer and tongs saying that police are part of the society, and if the society has bad elements, so do the police. But when it comes to policing during enforcement of lockdown and curfews, police seem to forget that they are a part of society and that society feeds them.
The pandemic has thrown our lives out of gear, and the least the police can do is to humiliate people on the strength of their "lathis". Mostly, it is the poor (including women) and the young who are at the receiving end of police humiliation, and violation of basic human rights and dignity.
Enforce you should, but also have empathy towards the people you are policing, is the humble appeal to all policemen.
D Bhutia,
RGB Road, Guwahati
An interview to remember
It was an interview to remember when Navika Kumari invited Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for a one-to-one interview in her Times Now channel on 8th May. Navika Kumari, a renowned journalist who was prepared with her repertoire of questions regarding the exodus of people from West Bengal to Assam and seeking refuge. The one-hour-long interview was gripping as the newly elected Chief Minister rebutted her grilling with point-to-point answers. The interviewer tried to catch Sarma in the false foot but he stood like a rock and factually replied to all her queries under the ambit of Constitution and convention. I being a senior citizen of the state have rarely noticed any politician having in-depth knowledge about geopolitical issues of the region.
Dr Ashim Chowdhury,
Guwahati-1.
After Lal Bahadur Shasti?
Our beloved ex-Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Sashti resigned as Railway Minister from Union Cabinet owning the responsibility for a railway accident, though he was not in the driver's seat. The breed of his ilk is nowhere to be found in present-day politics in India. Had he been in an exalted position today, he would have resigned long before people could witness thousands of dead bodies floating in the Ganga and the Jamuna.
Prafulla Dowarah,
Guwahati
Are you Asomiya?
My attention has been to seven demands made by Paresh Barua, the supremo of the ULFA in all the print and electronic media. After going through all the demands made by Paresh Barua, we the sons of the soil want to ask him a few questions.
1. Is it not the same ULFA that to protect the original inhabitants of the state from Bangladeshi infiltrators took shelter in Bangladesh and enjoyed royal hospitality for more than a decade?
2. Is it not the same ULFA that killed innocent school-going children who were out to celebrate Independence Day in Dhemaji by blasting bomb?
3. Is it not the same ULFA that started to kidnap our brothers in return for a huge ransom?
4. Is it not the same ULFA that is colluding with our arch-rival China, a nation against which many of our sons and brothers have laid down their lives?
Those who live by the gun, die by the gun. Mr Paresh Barua, do you still call yourself an Axomiya?
Joel Goyari,
Tangla
Rural areas & COVID
Lack of awareness about COVID among the people of rural areas is becoming a major issue. Despite the increasing number of corona cases, the rural population is not taking it seriously. Most of the people do not wear masks and not care about social distancing. If this continues, it will be our carelessness, and not the lack of health facilities, that will be responsible for what may follow.
Chandan Kumar Nath,
Sorbhog
The new threat to mankind: COVID-19
The most popular topic in today's world is the newly spread coronavirus. After the epidemic of the influenza virus that took place a century ago, mankind has now faced a newly discovered virus "COVID-19". Thousands of people lost their lives, their loved ones, many have also lost their jobs. This global pandemic has not only affected the global economy but also swept out many cities and towns. According to a recent census, after the outbreak of COVID-19 in India about 2-3 crore of middle-class men were forced to live below the poverty line. These circumstances are taking place due to the huge impact on the economy and employment. From many of its negative impacts on society one is also the creation of negative reviews in the minds of the people towards mankind. If a person tests COVID positive, then the whole society uses to boycott them, especially it is seen in the rural areas. According to many types of research worldwide, this virus could remain a part of our society for some more decades. So till then, we should have to take some precautionary measures towards it. Such as washing our hands from time to time, following social distancing, wear a mask when we are in a public place, and so on. One of the most effective ways is to vaccinate the mass population. In India the vaccination drive is going on on large scale, so till we got our vaccine we should remain careful and take some measures to not get infected.
Abhijit Kalita,
Palasbari