Letters to The EDITOR: Disrespect for the Assamese language in malls in Guwahati

Of late, many shopping malls have opened in Guwahati, and people visit the malls for various purposes like entertainment, leisure, and, above all, shopping. Many young people from various parts of Assam, the North-Eastern States, etc. are also employed in the establishments located in the shopping malls.

Yours truly, however, had some bitter and unpleasant experiences while visiting the shopping establishments in the malls in Guwahati. The salespeople and the people manning the shops in these malls abhor speaking in Assamese, even though their mother tongue may be Assamese, or, for that matter, they may know Assamese very well. Mostly, one can make out that the salespersons or supervisors are Assamese, but they interact with the customers in Hindi or English. I asked a few of these salespeople about their reluctance to interact in Assamese when the customer is comfortable in Assamese. Pat comes the response, in confidence, of course, that these salespersons are strictly instructed by their employers to interact with the customers in Hindi or English and NOT to speak in Assamese. This is, to say the least, an insult to the Assamese language and culture.

I urge all the Assamese-loving organizations and individuals to take this matter up. I request that Assamese-speaking customers interact only in Assamese in these shopping malls. We should be proud of our Assamese language and Assamese culture, more specifically in Assam and in Guwahati. At the same time, we are not against any language or any culture. However, abhorring and disrespecting Assamese in malls is not acceptable.

Amar Bhuyan,

Nagaon

Delhi’s air problems

Ponder where the country's President, Prime Minister, Chief Minister, all cabinet ministers, and high-level officials live. Yet there is no solution to eradicate Delhi's pollution. Since Delhi is our capital, everyone must take on the responsibility to keep it liveable, neat, and beautiful.

Jahangir Ali,

Guwahati

Shuttle diplomat

We remember Sir Henry Kissinger, the Secretary of State of the USA, during the term of President Richard Nixon from 1973 to 1977. He was a firefighter and shuttle diplomat, moving from one end of the globe to another in a moment, whenever and wherever there was any unrest, to settle and serve his country’s interests. At this moment, we can cite the name of yet another firefighter and shuttle diplomat named Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, the CM of Assam, who is moving around the nation representing his party whenever and wherever needed. Even his worst enemies, like Bhupen Bora, Akhil Gogoi, Gaurav Gogoi, etc., must and should laud the speed with which he is moving around the nation at the shortest notice. His stamina, even though he is a diabetic patient, should be an example for those who want to join politics. He really means business.

I wish him well.

Lanu Dutt Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

APSC CCE final merit list

We totally agree with the letter entitled "APSC CCE final merit list", published in your esteemed newspaper on November 6, 2023. Instead of ranking the candidates for different services, the Assam Public Service Commission (APSC) should release a consolidated rank list or final merit list in the CCE exam, just like the UPSC does.

Candidates should be ranked from the 1st to 913rd position in the upcoming CCE merit list. A different column should be included to show the allotted service of the candidate. This will give a clear picture of the overall rank of a candidate in the exam. The APSC should follow the UPSC while doing this.

Dr Amarendra Sarma

Naharkatia, Assam

Indian bowlers are in red-hot form

With the current form of both teams, the India-South Africa World Cup 2023 tie at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, was expected to be a pitched battle. But in the end, it turned out to be a demonic battle over the pitch for the South African batters, as the Indian bowlers, as has been their wont in this tournament, cut them to ribbons and made them look like newbies in batting. For teams, the bugaboo of facing Indian bowlers in the semi-final and probably in the finals will be a major concern, and our bowlers, who are in red-hot form, should use it to their fullest advantage to go on and win the cup, ultimately. Meanwhile, many congratulations to the run machine Virat Kohli for equaling Sachin Tendulkar’s record of 49 ODI tons, and with his rampaging form, the King has every opportunity to break the record in this world cup itself. If anything, after India's massive win over Sri Lanka and South Africa in World Cup 2023, the tidal waves of the Arabian Sea in Mumbai, the imposing Howrah Bridge, and the Hooghly River running beneath it in Kolkata will have plenty to offer for generations.

Ranganathan Sivakumar

Madipakkam, Chennai