Letters to the Editor: Death of the traffic signalling system

Death of the traffic signalling system

A few months ago, the revamped traffic signalling system was started in Guwahati with a lot of hype from the administration and the city police. The citizens thought and expected that the traffic signalling system would improve and ease traffic congestion, which would include more discipline, at least at the traffic signals. Alas, what we observe and experience now is that the traffic signalling system has collapsed, with most traffic signals not working, even on major roads in the city. Coupled with the absence of traffic policemen, it is a harassment to drive in the city, as well as to cross roads on foot at most intersections. We ordinary citizens do not know who maintains the traffic systems, but the fact of the matter is that it is free for all on the majority of the roads. To put this in short, it is already the death of the traffic signalling system in Guwahati city.

D Bhutia,

RGB Road, Guwahati

Skilled manpower

The news headline: 'Government to enhance youths' skills to increase employability' published in your esteemed daily on August 20 is widely appreciable. The state government's focus on enhancing the skills of our state's budding youths through various initiatives with the help of corporate partnerships is really praiseworthy. Today, skill-based education, which is not part of our formal education, is more effective as it creates jobs and reduces underemployment. India is the second-most populous country in the world, and almost 50 percent of its population is under the age of 25. This gives us huge potential to boost our growth. The Chief Minister has rightly said that the number of educated job seekers is considerably high in Assam, and that is a great challenge for the government. The government's plan to turn educated unemployed youth into skilled workers in electronic repair jobs and the construction sector will increase not only employability possibilities but also stop people from coming for employment from outside the state. Today, when machines are doing more and more of what humans do, humans need to be more human and display skills that machine cannot replicate. Apart from ITIs and skill training institutions, there is a need to introduce tech-powered learning strategies in our educational system to develop tech-enabled skills among the students, preferably at the school level. Our state has a solid and enormous human asset whose actual potential is yet to be understood. It is heartening to note that the state government is planning to increase the number of ITIs to 250 with a seat capacity of 50,000 to scale up skilling, promote entrepreneurship, and generate employment. Addressing the skill gap is our target now—to harness the latent youth power and make it the fuel to drive our economic engine and bring about meaningful change in our lives. The statewide vigorous promotion of skills through the Skill Yatra, backed by leading corporate partnerships, will work wonders to attract our unemployed youth towards learning skills, which will open the scope of employment for the youth of Assam. Making skilling, re-skilling, and up-skilling a way of life is the need of the hour.

Iqbal Saikia,

Guwahati.

Influence of North Indian Hindutva in Assamese culture

The rising influence of North Indian Hindutva in Assam has raised significant concerns about the preservation and continuity of Assamese culture. Assam, with its rich tapestry of indigenous traditions, languages, and customs, has always been a land where diverse cultures coexist. However, the recent trend of promoting a monolithic version of Hindu identity, often linked with North Indian cultural practices, poses a threat to the unique cultural fabric of Assam. The essence of Assamese culture lies in its diversity and inclusiveness, where various communities, including Hindus, Muslims, Christians, and indigenous tribes, have coexisted harmoniously for centuries. The traditional festivals, languages, and art forms of Assam reflect a confluence of different cultural influences, which are now being overshadowed by an aggressive push towards homogenisation under the guise of Hindutva.

One of the most concerning aspects is the attempt to impose Hindi as a dominant language in the region, which undermines the significance of Assamese as a primary mode of communication and expression. Language is a cornerstone of cultural identity, and any erosion of the Assamese language is an erosion of the culture itself. Moreover, the subtle but persistent efforts to replace or modify local religious practices with those aligned with North Indian customs further alienate the Assamese people from their cultural roots. Festivals such as Bihu, which embody the spirit of Assamese identity, are now facing challenges from this cultural imposition.

It is crucial for the people of Assam to recognise and resist these influences that threaten the pluralistic nature of their culture. While it is important to maintain a connection with the broader Indian identity, it should not come at the cost of losing what makes Assam unique. A balanced approach that respects and preserves Assamese traditions while fostering national unity is the need of the hour. I urge the cultural custodians, intellectuals, and people of Assam to stand firm in protecting the rich heritage of the state and ensure that the diverse and vibrant Assamese culture continues to thrive in the face of external influences.

Mowsam Hazarika,

Guwahati

Horrific rape and murder

Terming the rape and murder case of a medic whose body with severe injury marks was found inside the seminar hall of Calcutta's Radha Govind (R.G.) Kar Medical College and Hospital chest department on August 9 (a civic volunteer was arrested for these heinous activities by the Kolkata Police) as horrific. The Supreme Court (SC) came down heavily on the West Bengal government over its delay in filing an FIR in the matter. Taking suo motu cognisance of the case, the Court emphasised that this incident highlights a broader systemic issue concerning the safety of doctors across India.

A bench led by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, along with Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, stated that if women cannot work safely, it amounts to denying them equality. People strongly believe that the crime was likely detected in the early hours, but the college principal initially tried to dismiss it as a suicide. Not only this, the principal is so influential that immediately after his resignation from his post, he was reappointed to another college in the same evening while he was under investigation for his conduct during the incident. People are agreeing or not with the Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta that there was a complete failure of law and order in West Bengal, which is debatable, but the way a mob of 7,000 people entered the hospital without knowledge of the Kolkata Police, indicates the total failure of the Kolkata Police.

After Nirbhaya (all the rapists were hanged), there was Kamduni and now Abhya, besides many more. Actually, as of the latest available data, the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) reported approximately 31,677 cases of rape in India in 2021.Some estimates suggest that up to 90% of rape cases in India might go unreported. Will the Supreme Court of India take action on every rape case and its investigation? How many reported rape cases occur in India, and how many go unreported, with police refusing to file FIRs, especially when politicians are involved? There is much to be improved in India's law and order system. The release on bail and celebration of the convicted rapists in the case of pregnant Bilkis Bano by members of the ruling party is yet another concerning issue. However, law-abiding citizens strongly believe that the CBI will catch all the culprits and that the court will impose stringent punishment on them so that no such incidents occur in the future.

Bidyut Kumar Chatterjee,

Faridabad 121005.