Letters to THE EDITOR

Organizational lapse in new regional parties

It is a bitter truth that running a student organization and a political party is not like sipping water with rice. A student organization doesn't need public support as they do not form any government to govern the people. But a political party's strong base is public support from all sides. A political party needs a grassroots-level or booth-level organization to make its foundation stronger. They also need support from all sections of people regardless of caste and religion. But in Assam, newly formed regional parties like AJP, Raijor Dal, Sanjucta Anchalik Dal and others do not have any grassroots-level organization till date. They perhaps think that their mother organizations will play the role of rescuers during the election time. But this notion is like building a castle in the air as some of the leaders of these non-political organizations are eagerly waiting for the opportunity to join the BJP or other national political parties. Instead of depending on their mother organizations these regional parties should concentrate self on increasing their party members at grassroots level. As only less than three months left to the Assam Assembly election they should work on ground zero level avoiding big public meetings. They should also learn lesson from the BJP that ten years back had no booth-level organization; but today they have such a strong grassroots-level organization that only charisma can uproot them from their titanic base. The newly-formed regional parties should also go to the people with their political, economical, cultural, social, educational and employment philosophies. They should make sure to the people that only regional parties can fulfil the dreams and aspirations of the indigenous people. Determination, strong will and convincing effort of the regional parties may conquer the hearts of the local people.

Harsha Mohan Sarma, Nalbari.

Second wave of COVID-19

Though we are returning to some semblance of normalcy after having been in a quite grim situation for long, it seems the public health machinery braces for a potential second wave of COVID-19. We need to shape strategies with the help of the key lessons learnt from the first wave of the same.

Individuals over 60 and those with underlying medical conditions or children with low immunity must be kept away from public. The number of visitors must be reduced and physical distancing must be promoted.

Imparting education on personal hygiene that includes measures such as frequent hand washing, wearing masks in public places, cough and sneezing etiquette, etc., will really prove to be quite instrumental. Also, large gatherings in hotspot areas must be discouraged.

Steps like triaging at hospital entry, ensuring adequate PPE for healthcare workers, etc., need to be taken to reduce transmission. Most importantly, the valuable assets of the country like advanced pharmaceutical expertise, manufacturing capabilities, etc., should be utilized. Apart from all these, coordination and collaboration among all the countries are essential to respond swiftly to the next wave of the pandemic.

Dipen Gogoi, Teok, Jorhat

Owaisi and West Bengal polls

The All India Majlis -e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Chief Asaduddin Owaisi's announcement that his party will contest the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls may spell trouble for Mamata Banerjee. The AIMIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) has the potential to split the Muslim votes and this will benefit the BJP which has been trying hard to install a BJP-led government in the State. The Muslim votes in the State are in favour of the Trinamool Congress (TMC). Asaduddin Owaisi's entry in the State politics is likely to bring a negative result for TMC as was seen with the Mahagathbandhan in Bihar.

With the entry of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen Chief Asaduddin Owaisi in the state poll, the exit of Didi from the power of the State is almost final.

Bikash Barpujari, Guwahati.

The cat is out

As speculated the cat is out of the bag. Since inception of the AASU, we the common people firmly believed that it is an apolitical students' body dedicated to the welfare of the students. On many earlier occasions Chief Advisor Samujjal Bhattacharya has boldly stated that the AASU will always maintain its apolitical character in any case. But in a recent candid and explosive confession made by the new general secretary Shankar Jyoti Barooah stating the AASU is no longer apolitical and it thrives from donations collected from the people. With his outburst, the premier students' body has lost its credibility once and for all. As of now, we have understood the political compulsion of the AASU to resume the anti-CAA stir instead of focusing on the lost academic period of the students due to anti-CAA agitation and COVID pandemic. Hope Samujjal Bhattacharya is listening.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury Guwahati

Plastic pollution

Plastic pollution is not a new issue now. At one time plastic was only considered as polythene bags, bottles, etc, but in fact the most harmful of the plastics is micro plastic, which is now very popularly known as microbid. Lots of microbid are available in detergent, soap, toothpaste etc. As a result of plastic and microbid, people suffer from thyroid, excess hormones, kidney disease, skin diseases etc. It also causes death due to the presence and consumption of plastic in the food cycle of river, lake animals (fish, birds). Rivers lose navigability, ground water becomes polluted, soil fertility decreases. Stamford University Bangladesh's department of environmental sciences found microbides present in 51 out of 105 cosmetic products of 8 types in a study on microbid. The polythene Prohibition Act, 2002 is the first to implement plastic pollution prevention. People should be encouraged to use jute, paper, and cloth bags instead of plastic. Microbid products should be banned. Then the environment will be clean and human health will be better.

Heramba Nath, Kamrup,

Change of guards

The Congress is certainly on the verge of extinction in Assam. The impregnable wall of the Congress in the state is in rudimentary state, thanks to incapable leadership. The present incumbent Ripun Bora is simply a hopeless leader who is further drowning the shaky ship of the party with his irresponsible comments. Fresh faces are not coming up. Some corrupt leaders are dictating terms within the party. The dynamism of Late Torun Gogoi is absent from the current crop. Now things have come to such a pass that it has to grip the hands of the AIUDF to tide the river. Those who are advocating for tying up with Azmal's party are in fact digging the grave of the party. They are yet to comprehend the impact it will have in upper Assam. The Congress looks like only strengthening the minority-dominated constituencies. This move will further alienate themselves from the true Assamese community. The anti-BJP votes which the party is counting on will simply transfer to the new regional parties benefiting the BJP immensely. But sadly the high command of the party too is in shambles due to Inefficient Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi. Another aspect is that new regional political parties have declined to ally with the Congress as they too can sense the gloomy future of Ripun Bora and his fellows.

Mustafa Zahid Sheikh, Mangaldoi.