Letters to the EDITOR: Religion does not define a person

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Religion does not define a person

Every religion has two types of people: good and bad. And within communities, it is no different. As such, it is wrong to suggest that people of a particular religion are bad and people of another religion are good. The development of a person’s personality depends mainly on two factors: a good education at home and school and their social milieu.  Without the aforementioned environment, things could spiral out of control.

In light of the above, I would like to mention the consequences of CAA’s implementation in Assam. It is not correct to say that all Hindus are good people. There could be many criminals and thugs of various kinds among Hindus. Developed countries like the US, UK, Germany, France, etc. welcome our talented people to go to their countries for studies and jobs as well. Those countries know for sure that talented people will be assets for the economic development and progress of their countries. On the contrary, we are not sure what type of Hindus will enter our territory with CAA’s implementation. However, it is sure that the Hindus of Bangladesh will occupy our land space, job space, and political space, threaten our cultural space, and finally blacken our signboards, etc. If we don’t act today, tomorrow will remain a distant dream for us. The glaring fact is that past experience did not make us wise.

Prafulla Dowarah

Guwahati

Indian hockey team upbeat for Olympics

Indian hockey coach Craig Fulton believes his 16-member men's hockey team would do extremely well in the upcoming Paris Olympics. Notwithstanding the recent reverses in the Australian series and the Pro League, the mood of the Indian players appears upbeat. The 2020 Tokyo Olympics bronze medal and the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games gold medal would have immensely contributed to keeping the spirits of the players high. Skipper Harmanpreet Singh, who will be playing in his third Olympics, has been handed a team that is a combination of youth and experience. For goalkeeper PR Sreejesh and former skipper Manpreet Singh Paris, this will be their fourth Olympics. Sreejesh has contributed his mite to India's cause in plenty of tournaments, and he will be looking forward to guarding the nets with enthusiasm and excellence in the games that will most probably be his last.

Five players will be making their debuts, and Craig Fulton has high hopes for them, and not without reason. Fulton is a strong proponent of defense; he has said that a fast attack may win matches, but a solid defense will win tournaments. In Paris, India is grouped along with defending champions Belgium, Australia, Argentina, New Zealand, and Ireland. In its current form, India can hope to make it to the last eight. Then onwards, it could be anyone's day. Having won eight golds, one silver, and three bronzes in the Olympics, withits Tokyo performance in the background, India has the potential to surprise aall,especially when things are perfectly falling into place for Harmanpreet's men.

Dr Ganapathi Bhat

gbhat13@gmail.com

Serious JJM Anomalies in Chirang PHE

The Office of the Executive Engineer (PHE), Kokrajhar Division No. II, is plagued by a multitude of anomalies, severely hindering the effectiveness of the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in Chirang district. The performance of JJM in Chirang district is one of the worst in the entire country. The condition of the schemes implemented under the mission is abysmal, falling far short of the desired standards. The only male Technical Officer-1 of the Division, who was appointed last year, has been conspicuously irregular for months, leaving a gaping hole in the technical branch of the Division office. Surprisingly, the officer submitted his resignation at first due to his personal problems. Later, upon reconsideration, he withdrew his resignation and continued coming to office. But he has remained very irregular for months. Adding to this, an Assistant Engineer has also become increasingly irregular in his duties. The lack of sectional officers compounds the issue, leading to loopholes in regular site investigations and a further deterioration of the overall functionality of the division.

This state of affairs demands immediate attention from the higher authorities, as contractors as well as common people are encountering serious issues. We appeal to the department to issue a stern warning to the Technical Officer-1 and the Assistant Engineer to attend office on a regular basis, emphasizing the importance of their regular presence and fulfilling their responsibilities with the utmost dedication. Urgent action is necessary to rectify these issues, ensure the successful implementation of the Jal Jeevan Mission in the district, and provide the people of Chirang with access to clean and safe drinking water.

Some student leaders,

BTR, Kokrajhar.