Promotion of Assamese
I must compliment your
editorial team and D. Bhutia, the writer, for raising an extremely important
issue regarding the promotion of the Assamese language by way of a letter to
the editor in your newspaper dated January 4, 2024, titled ‘Name and Sign
Boards in Assamese’. Needless to say, the Assamese language is being neglected
in Assam itself.
The BJP-led government came to power in Assam in 2016 with the slogan ‘jati, mati, bheti’. One important partner in the current coalition government in Assam is the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), which was born out of Assamese nationalism and the Assam Movement of the 1970s and 1980s. However, almost eight years down the line, we hardly see any effort for elevation in the lives of indigenous people or promotion of the Assamese language.
This is quite opposite to what we observe in many other states. In Maharashtra, they staunchly talk and promote ‘Marathi manoos’. Tamil Nadu and Puducherry advertise Tamil nationalism, culture, and language, led by a plethora of regional and national political parties, apart from many more socio-cultural organizations. Even the dress code normally adorned, especially by the politicians in Tamil Nadu, is a symbol of Tamil heritage. Punjab invariably represents and promotes the Punjabiyat. Of late, even national parties like the Congress and the BJP are working towards encouraging and advancing the Kannada language and heritage in Karnataka. Similar efforts are quite obvious in Gujarat, Kerala, Odisha, etc.
The Assamese film industry is at a crossroads with multiple challenges because of a lack of interest by the state.
In spite of having a state policy, apart from the spirit of the Assam Accord, it is disheartening to see that name boards, sign boards, and signage are not written in Assamese by commercial establishments, schools, and other establishments. It is also intriguing to find that many certificates (e.g., the licence to operate lifts and elevators in commercial establishments in Guwahati) issued by the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC), etc., are not in Assamese. The numbering of houses in Guwahati by GMC should also be in Assamese.
It is the call of the hour that we should unite and raise our voices through various forums so that name boards, sign boards, signage, etc. are written very prominently in Assamese. We urge and request that Assamese-loving owners of establishments (schools, commercial establishments, etc.) come forward and have the name boards and signage in Assamese, more prominently than in other languages.
Amar Bhuyan,
Nagaon.
Time to say adieu to EVM
The fact is that the EVM (Electronic Voting Machine) no longer remains a standalone system. Additional arrangements have been incorporated into the machines, and as such, many experts believe that they can be manipulated. The VVPAT (voter-verifiable paper audit trail) system was introduced in 8 of 543 parliamentary constituencies as a pilot project in the 2014 general election. A VVPAT is an independent verification system for voting machines, designed to allow voters to verify their votes cast, to detect possible election fraud or malfunction, and to provide means to audit the stored electronic results. It contains the name of the candidate and the symbol of the party. At present, except for seeing an image for a few seconds, we don’t have access to a paper slip. This means that the whole purpose of installing the VVPAT system is being defeated. Now, the demand is on the rise across the country to provide the voters with the printed paper slip after casting votes to be dropped in a separate ballot box in the presence of election officers. This will help in comparing results in electronic machines versus paper slips. Vested interests argue that it is a time-taking process. So what? To achieve a quality job, we need time. Time is not a big deal. Transparency and accountability are more important in public discourse. Haven will not fall if it takes one or two weeks more to declare the election results.
It is important to understand that around six thousand citizens, including prominent personalities, experts in the field, scientists, and bureaucrats, appealed to the Chief Election Commissioner of India (CECI) in writing, seeking his audience to hear them out on the issue pertaining to EVM. However, no group, including opposition political parties, has met him so far. One should not forget the fact that we are the citizens of the largest democracy in the world. People’s voices must be honoured. The CECI is duty-bound to listen to the people of the country. Instead of asking the complainant to prove that the EVM can be tampered with, CECI should prove that it can’t be tempered. Onus squarely lies with the CECI to dispel the misgivings cropped up among the people of the country regarding the functioning of EVMs. At this critical juncture, the people of the country feel the absence of T.N. Seshan badly.
Prafulla Dowarah,
Guwahati.
Picnics and environmental pollution
It’s now picnic season. We all want a place full of natural beauty for a picnic. Also, we should keep an eye on the place as if the environment is not spoiled. While many spoil the atmosphere by playing loud music in the name of picnics, many again drink alcohol in the name of picnics. After drinking alcohol, bottles are left in the place. And in the place where the banquet is eaten, people eat a variety of packets of gutkha and throw disposable plates and glasses. The thermocols, plastic plates, and glasses dumped by the picnic team have polluted the water and created a foul-smelling atmosphere. By doing so, others do not become fit to eat picnics at that place again. We have to carry a few trash bags with us when we go to the picnic spot. Then the items thrown away can be put in the dustbin and placed in a specified waste place. Doing so keeps the area clean and suitable for others to reuse. So it is important that we keep our environment beautiful without polluting ourselves as responsible individuals. Preserving the beauty of our picnic spots is a shared responsibility. Let’s enjoy the picnic season while being mindful stewards of the environment. Carry those dustbin bags, leave only footprints, and ensure that the natural charm remains intact for everyone to relish. Together, we can create a sustainable and welcoming environment for picnickers now and in the future.
Rituparna Devi,
Gauhati University.