Letters to The EDITOR

Above subject published in The Sentinel on 24.01.2021 (melange), Sabhapandit aptly described the society. Really, my heart also wept when I see the pathetic condition. Yes, we are at the mercy of the outsiders. Yes, our disgruntled youth and so-called evergreen youths are leading our society to nowhere. Everyday, whether reason or no reason, disgruntled youths' energy is being diverted by those so-called evergreen leaders, who in the name of Assam, are responsible for the destruction of the Assamese society.

I have never ever heard those evergreen organization or leader to fight for bringing good coaching institute where students from outside the State will come to Assam, a good industry, where other State people will come to Assam for their good fortune.

Alas! My heart bleeds when I see what Assam should set an example to rest of the country in terms of food production, scientific knowledge, good coaching institutes, rather we spend our energy in those causes which we have never been achieved till date. Rather some so-called intellectual who pretend to be the well wishers of Assam, prefer to sell their land to outsiders.

Time has come for us to raise our way of thinking rather to handover this beautiful land to the hands of those evergreen leaders and so-called intellectuals and organizations. We should have faith only on the strong Assamese society so that our society should not be swayed away by those people.

Suprakash Chakraborty,

Guwahati

Still going?

One of my friends who migrated to Pune some 27 years ago was in Guwahati to attend a family function. During our conversation we talked about politics, cricket, etc. Suddenly a news report was flashed in a local TV channel where AASU adviser Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharya was giving a byte regarding series of agitations planned during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Assam. My friend jumped out of the chair and shouted "is Samujjal Bhattacharya still in the AASU?" He said when he passed matriculation also Samujjal Bhattacharya was in the AASU. I pacified him and said the AASU is doing business now. Those occupying top three to four positions in the organization is earning hefty amount per week. So, for these veterans to vacant the chair is next to impossible. I made him understand that these self-centered ones don't have to go to office or go to business workplace regularly, these are tough jobs and they refrain from doing so. Samujjal Bhattacharya and company have chosen the easiest of jobs that is to collect donation (sanda) from the public. These veteran students' leaders are leading a princely lifestyle with luxurious cars, lavish apartments, owing city and deluxe buses, owners of petrol depots and hotels.

Had they joined government job or any private job they couldn't have made it with their salary even after serving 40 years of services. But these guys are smart ones. Apart from the money, they are always hogging the limelight in TV and newspapers. My friend regretted why he had not joined the AASU during his students' life, otherwise instead of migrating to a far-off place in search of bread and butter he could have led luxurious and popular life in his hometown. So joining the AASU is another path to become 'Atmanirbhar'.

Pratuljyoti Buragohain,

Guwahati.

Girl child

Nobody in society wants a girl child in his or her family. Everybody wants a male child so that their property is safe in future. Nobody wants property to be inherited by their son-in-law. We should realize that the property we own is not brought by us at birth. It is only a means of livelihood. After our death, nobody knows who will be the owner of our property. If our property goes to our daughter, she will spend her life very well and with pride.

Chandan Kumar Nath,

Sorbhog.

Manifesto from masses

It is welcome to note that the Congress in Kerala has decided to bring public opinion into consideration before drafting a manifesto for the Assembly elections. MP Shashi Tharoor was assigned the task to learn about the issues of a cross-section of people. The manifesto will reflect the people's sentiments and needs. The party leaders will meet a cross-section of people, including youth and students, in various districts. This is a commendable move to know the challenges facing people and assist the party to draft an election manifesto from the masses, for the masses. It is necessary to save democratic values.

Amit Singh Kushwaha,

Satna (M.P.)

Population control

As India's population growth continues to be a source of concern, there have been reports of the country's population being controlled and rehabilitated. This good news is published in the 5th National Family Health Survey (SFH) of India. According to the National Survey, except for Bihar, Manipur and Meghalaya, all other States in the country have adopted a policy of having two children or less. Therefore, the Population Foundation of India (PFI) has stated that the population of India is now in good condition and in most of the States the rate of population growth or birth rate is declining. The popularity of education, birth control, health awareness, etc., among women has increased in most of the States of the country. Decreased birth rates due to financial problems, income constraints, etc., have been cited. According to the survey, 30 per cent women in Assam, Bihar, West Bengal and Gujarat have bank accounts in their identities. However, in some States, the birth rate has not declined for 18 years due to child marriage, superstition, etc. However, declining birth rates in most of the States have had an impact on the country's population as a whole. Recently, the Central government told the country's Supreme Court that the Central government was unable to order a couple or family to have only two children. According to the government, it cannot use force to adopt a two-child policy. Earlier, the Supreme Court had rejected an application to make two children compulsory through a PIL. The Indian government has not made the two-child policy mandatory, although there has been widespread speculation that two children are enough. On the other hand, some States have adopted strict policies on population growth. The Assam government has not made the two-child policy mandatory in the State, though it has adopted legal guidelines stating that parents with more than two children will not be considered eligible for government service from the current year. No individual or organization has appealed against this directive of the government. It can be said that the majority of the people of the State have come to respect such a tough decision of the government.

We cherish the two-child policy of the Government of Assam and hope that this policy will have far-reaching implications in the future. Many thanks to the Central and State governments for this opportunity.

Heramba Nath,

Kamrup.

New farm laws

By enacting three farm laws in the outgoing truncated monsoon session of the Parliament, the Modi Government has demonstrated its will to persist with its declared policy of doubling the farmers' income by the end of its present term i.e. 2024. With these new market reforms the farmers do have the alternative opportunity to sell their produce directly to the private parties like fast food manufacturers, online buyers outside the State in addition to the existing option of sale at the wholesale market managed by the APMC (Agriculture Produce Marketing Committee) in the locality. The politics of opposing the new laws falls flat as the Government will also continue the prevalent system of procurement of essential food-grains at the MSP (Minimum Support Price) through the FCI for public distribution through the ration shops at a cheap price to the poor and weaker sections of the society; while the Government has to keep buffer stock of essential food grains to fulfil its statutory food security obligation. But much will depend on sound monitoring system as operation of the new scheme may be disrupted under surreptitious deal between middle men and the private dealers in collusion with APMC to the detriment of the farmers for which the relevant authorities of the States have to keep strict vigil.

Pannalal Dey,

Guwahati.

Srimanta Sankardev Mahotsav: Prospects,aspects & perspectives

To take the works of Srimanta Sankardev at the international level the Madhav Sanskriti Niyas and the Batadraba Than Parichalana Samiti are organizing a two-day cultural event along with a national-level seminar on "Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva Mahotsav" at Bardowa in Nagaon on January 30 and 31, 2021. The festival is seen as an attempt to begin building, promoting and popularizing the works of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev. It is also a process to unite all the indigenous tribes together. Cultural programmes will be performed by groups, one each from the thirty three districts of Assam. A cultural rally and art competition among the children will also be organized.

The purposes of the festival are to take the works of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev to the international level, highlight Bardowa at the international level, create an annual national cultural festival at Bardowa to woo tourists, introduce art and culture in order to create an understanding and harmony among the people of the Northeast and rest of the country, giving the artists a chance to exhibit their work and activities at the national level and making the new generation aware of Srimanta Sankardev.

The event will have a seminar to highlight the works of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardev; dramas on the life of Srimanta Sankardev; dances like Xatriya, Bhurtal and other forms; songs like Borgeet, Naam ghoxa etc.; and an art exhibition on the "Life of Srimanta Sankardev" with 300 odd artists taking part in it; etc.

Hriskikesh Sarma

(Can be reached at hriskikeshsarma@gmail.com)

Cutting a sorry figure

The oldest students' union leader Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharjya has got what he deserved long time back. A regular voice of the AASU in front of the camera finally has its wings clipped. The famous phase 'retire gracefully' was always ignored by the 60-year-old student leader. Had he been in a government service he would have surely retired by this time, but Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharjee chose an easier path of being in the AASU. The newly elected AASU general secretary Shankar Jyoti Baruah, in a press conference had guts to finally clip the wings of the veteran student leader. The contemporaries of Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharjee have all retired from the AASU and are doing their own stuff long time back, and a few of them have joined different political parties. Dr. Bhattacharjya has always overshadowed the general secretary and the president of the AASU by snatching the microphone from them as if he is all in all. Now, he is cutting a sorry figure before the public as the new committee has boldly declared that Dr. Samujjal Bhattacharjee speaks on behalf of the AASU. It is the effect of 'karma'.

Julie Bhuyan,

Gaurisagar.

Panic-stricken Congress!

Panicky and nervousness are high in the Congress and all of their senior leaders are desperately appealing to the Raijor Dal and the AJP to join the grand alliance. The grand alliance which Congress talks of is mainly between the Congress and the AIUDF, even as a few other insignificant parties with no support bases like the CPI, CPI(M) and the Anchalik Gana Morcha have also been stitched to it. Probably, these small fries won't get a seat to contest in the seat-sharing arrangement of the alliance. The leaders of the Congress like Ripun Bora, Prodyut Bordoloi, Rakibul Hussain, and others have inherited the habit of Late Tarun Gogoi to address the press daily. Recently Prodyut Bordoloi had a war of words with Bhaswati Saikia of the Raijor Dal. MP Pradyut Bordoloi virtually warned Raijor Dal leaders for not joining the coalition. Now the Nagaon MP has labelled the Raijor Dal as the B team of the BJP. The Congress at present is the most untouchable party in India which is led by a rudderless Rahul Gandhi.

Pratuljyoti Buragohain,

Sixmile, Guwahati.

Birth-anniversary of Netaji

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee maintained a political decorum by joining the Prime Minister and the State Governor at a function at Victoria Memorial in memory of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose on 23.01.2021. But it was not fair on the part of those shouting slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' on the occasion making Mamata Banerjee cut short her speech in protest. Chanting 'Shri Ram' is welcome, but it is misuse of the name of Lord Ram for political purposes which cannot be denied. Even though it remains a bitter fact that State Chief Minister banks on minority-appeasing politics.

Gone are the sweet memories of the yesteryears when first Prime Minister of India congratulated his political rival young Atal Bihari Vajpayee for his maiden speech in Parliament forecasting a great politician of the future in him. The then Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri sent a gift-parcel of Dhoti-Kurta to a prominent Parliamentarian Prakashvir Shastri as a token of request to wear Indian attire on his first foreign trip as Parliamentarian. Atal Bihari Vajpayee congratulated the then Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi by calling her as Durga on her leading nation to victory in 1971 Indo-Pak war. The then Prime Minister PV Narsimha Rao entrusted Opposition-leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee to lead an Indian delegation at the crucial special session of the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNHRC) in Geneva where a Pakistan-sponsored resolution was introduced to censure India on its record of human rights in Jammu and Kashmir. Atal Bihari Vajpayee as Prime Minister ensured re-hanging of the portrait of Jawahar Lal Nehru at South Clock (New Delhi), though role of Nehru in becoming and action as Prime Minister proved to be harmful for the nation.

Piloo Modi (fat by body-weight) as leader of the then largest Opposition Swatantra Party was known for humour when he countered a Left-leader that his party had exported two heavyweights in Left party also when a Left leader levelled allegation that the right-wing Swatantra Party has infiltrated in all parties except Left. Atal Bihari Vajpayee made complete Lok Sabha full of laughter when he replied to Indira Gandhi that madam was herself beautiful on Indira Gandhi declining Vajpayee's challenge for a public debate at Ramlila Maidan (New Delhi) by saying that "Hindi of Vajpayee was very charming".

Subhash Chandra Agrawal,

Delhi.

Turn off

The Government's offer to hold back the three farm laws for one-and-a-half years is a belated step but in the right direction. It is certainly the victory for farmers who succeeded in their task by making the Centre tread the right path instead of a bumpy road chosen through contentious laws. Now is the turn of the agitating farmer unions to call off the store and put the brakes on the proposed tractor march on January 26, keeping in view the sanctity and tradition of the Republic Day celebration.

Chandan Kumar Nath,

Sorbhog.

Insult to Mamata Banerjee

No condemnation is enough for the uncultured fanatic elements who have insulted Mamata Banerjee right in the function inside Kolkata's Victoria Memorial.

However, the crude incident was not entirely surprising; after all what better can be expected from those forces who divide multi-religious secular heterogeneous India on communal lines, yet dare to celebrate the birthday of that ultimate secular humanitarian Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose.

While the dignified protest, through refusal of speech, by Banerjee is highly appreciated; the absolute silence of Narendra Modi, revolving the insult heaped upon the former in his presence by his supporters, that too in a programme hosted by his Government, is extremely unfortunate to say the least.

And also what an insult heaped upon Netaji as well. If attempt to reap selfish cheap electoral dividend in the guise of his birthday celebration was not enough; the programme in the name of that epitome of Hindu-Muslim brotherhood has been allowed to be tarnished through that communal slogan which is associated with riot-igniting Rath Yatra, Babri Masjid demolition and Muslim bashing.

Association with vandalization of Vidyasagar bust, placing Rabindranath image below that of a saffron political heavyweight in a banner, character-assassinating Amartya Sen as 'land-grabber', demoting the universal humanitarian Swami Vivekananda to a mere orthodox 'Hindutva figure', raising provocative communal chant in a function supposed to honour Netaji, humiliating Bengal Chief Minister on her own land that too after inviting her – the anti-Bengalism of the BJP has simply reached the zenith.

Even after establishing itself at such a staunch anti-Bengali outfit, how can the BJP dare to utter the rhetoric of Sonar Bangla in their divisive lips? While the result of upcoming West Bengal Assembly election is uncertain at this particular juncture, there lies no doubt to the fact that not a single self-respecting Bengali, proud of his/her secular cultural legacy as propagated by Lalon Fakir-Rabindranath-Nazrul, will vote for such an outfit whose only mission is communally polarize the State and humiliate Bengal and Bengalis, including their greats at every possible opportunity and forum.

And far from feeling proud, Netaji would have been ashamed of today's India after witnessing the muscle-flexing of 'Hindi-Hindu-Hindustan' brigade in this multi-lingual multi-religious secular heterogeneous country.

Lastly, there exists a section of liberals who are trying to defend the indefensible by endorsing Jai Shri Ram directed at Banerjee. Would they care to answer why such chants got raised just when Banerjee stood up to deliver her speech? Why not earlier or later? This attitude clearly betrays the mindset of those who were present there just to heckle Banerjee. If they try to put forward lame excuses that it is nothing but a pious greeting, then it must be emphasized that Victoria Memorial is neither a temple nor any Hindu religious festival was being conducted there.

Kajal Chatterjee,

Kolkata.

Sleeping cells activated

The sleeping cells of Badruddin Ajmal are fully active now as elections are nearing. MP Badruddin Ajmal who himself visits his constituency like a seasonal bird is too camping in the State and holding rallies in the bastion of the minority-dominated constituencies. The trusted cells of Ajmal and company like Sikha Sarma, Ajit Kumar Bhuyan, Manjit Mahanta, Dr. Hiren Gohain are too doing their jobs to the best of their abilities to please their master. Sikha Sarma is touring the interior areas of loyal voters of the Congress and the AIUDF combine. She was seen advising them not to get swayed away by the AJP or the Raijor Dol and keep their faith in Badruddin Bhaijaan. Ajit Kumar Bhuyan is busy trying to convince the Raijor Dol and the AJP to join hands with Badruddin Ajmal. Dr. Hiren Gohain in his usual style certifying that Badruddin Ajmal group is very secular and pro-Assamese. He sees the recent statements of AIUDF boss in Dhubri as nothing communal and claims that massive atrocities are daily committed upon the Miya people. The cell's main agenda is to throw the BJP out and establish Badruddin Ajmal team at Dispur.

Dhiman Senchowa,

North Lakhimpur.

'Gogoi' politics

Koliabor Member of Parliament Gaurav Gogoi (famous for mota mass and mailki mass) in a public rally of the Congress appealed to Raijor Dol president Akhil Gogoi and AJP president Lurinjyoti Gogoi to join the Congress-led grand alliance for the forthcoming elections. That is alright, but when he said the three 'Gogois' will control State politics by "kicking out" the BJP is unacceptable. Gaurav Gogoi, who has limited knowledge about Assam and its diversity, should refrain from making such comments as it hurts the non Gogois. Our State has Sarma, Deka, Ahmed, Hussain, Chowdhury, Kalita, Barman, Chaliha, Dutta, Boro, Daimari, Senapati, Barua, Rabha, Deuri, and others. They are all indigenous people of the State. The people of these surnames are capable to lead the State or the country. Does Gaurav Gogoi have doubt in the calibre of other non-Gogois? Gaurav Gogoi should treat equally all the faiths, religions and castes.

Chotu Nath Boro,

Baghbor.