Prime Minister's visits to Assam
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made several visits to Assam in the last one month. The visits have no use for the people of the State. Being the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi has a duty to solve the burning problems of Assam. The BJP-led government at the Centre did gave assurances to implement the Clause VI of the Assam Accord. However, till date, the BJP-led government at the Centre has not shown any interest to implement it. Implementation of Clause VI of the Assam Accord would have given the local people in Assam a feeling of security in their own State. There are numerous burning problems in Assam. Particularly, the problems of flood and unemployment should be solved early. As Assam is an industrially backward State, new industrial units should be established and the closed ones should be revived as early as possible.
Maheswar Deka,
Rangia
Culture and tradition ignored
Recently a popular actress of Assamese cinema and a very vocal voice during the anti-CAA movement in the State tied the knot. The wedding got widespread attention due to certain reasons which I don't want to go in. My blessing and good wishes are with the newly-wedded couple. What I saw in in the wedding is that Assamese tradition and culture was ignored and more importance was given to North Indian culture and tradition. Of course, that it their choice but what I want to point is that 'practise what you preach'. The actress during the anti-CAA agitation was very vocal for preservation and restoration of Assamese culture, language and tradition but herself ignored everything in her wedding. There is no ritual like Sangeet and Mehendi ceremony in traditional Assamese marriages. The truth is most of the leading leaders of the anti-CAA movement exposed themselves either by opening new political party or joining some other party or by setting examples of ignoring our traditional practices.
Spondon Hazuri,
Biswanath Chariali
Enemy within
During the anti-CAA agitation and now the ongoing farmers' stir, I became a regular viewer of the prime time debate of the leading national news channels. In those debates, spokespersons of the ruling and Opposition parties are invited along with some freelancers. Sometimes it shocks me that some of the views expressed by the Opposition spokespersons mainly from Congress, Samajwadi Party, AAP, etc are in the same wavelength with that of Pakistan. It can be sometime difficult to identify those people as spokespersons of registered political parties of India or that of the Pakistan. Is India paying a price for being a secular democracy?
Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,
Guwahati
Assam in plate group
In the ongoing Vijay Hazare trophy, our State team is playing in the plate division where teams like Manipur, Meghalaya, Sikkim, Mizoram, etc are clubbed. Where are the office-bearers of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA)? After the exit of Bikash Barua and company, much was expected from Debojit Lon Saikia and his group. Still we are searching for the first one to don the blue or white jersey. When small towns with minimum facilities are producing international cricketers our State team with good infrastructures is playing in plate division. Where is Assam Cricket heading for? The ACA should organize more 3/4 days matches. Regular coaching camps with qualified coaches are a must. Periodical mental conditioning sessions from grassroots level is necessary. Impetus should be given more on physical fitness. Merely holding IPL matches is not sufficient. Even holding T20 or ODIs in Guwahati is in no way going to raise the standard of cricket in the State. Even at IPL level Assam has produced two cricketers till now and only Riyan Parag has impressed us. We would have been happy if three to four players were there in the IPL.
I request the office-bearers of the Assam Cricket Association to work more on grassroots level like school, institution and clubs. At the same time discontinue tennis ball cricket tournaments. I have observed many registered players are playing in such tournaments.
Pratuljyoti Buragohain,
Guwahati
Spread hatred
A BJP leader, infamous for inciting the Delhi riots last year through WhatsApp and Twitter groups called the 'Hindu Ecosystem', is trying to sway youngsters. He has more than 20,000 young people in his 'ecosystem' who can do any adverse thing against members of other religions. This is alarming. His activities aimed at spreading communal hatred in India should be immediately stopped.
Chandan Kumar Nath,
Sorbhog
Public bus scarcity
I as an ordinary citizen would like to point out this very crucial matter. This is a common experience for most of us i.e. daily commuters who have the need to travel by public transport i.e. city buses for their bread and butter.
But, this most important lifeline for us becomes almost nil during the visit of VVIPs to the State, putting our daily lives at great jeopardy.
Reaching to our offices or homes at time becomes pretty difficult due to scarcity of buses.
Can any alternative be sorted out as financial constraints have increased post-lockdown and availing an Ola or Uber or Rapido is not be feasible for most of us. Today, I had a bitter experience of not getting any bus where I could get in and had to walk almost 7 km to reach my home.
Purabi P Barua,
Guwahati
Transmission loss
The Assam Electricity Regulatory Commission (AERC) has directed the power companies to take effective steps to reduce transmission and distribution loss and check power theft in order to ensure proper benefits for the consumers. This is a good a step from the AERC and I welcome it. Due to disruption of electricity, particularly senior and ailing persons, besides children suffer very much at night. The authority concerned may take appropriate steps without further delay in checking transmission and distribution loss of power.
Putul Sarma,
Biswanath Chariali
Planned welfare
The Andhra Pradesh Government has released a 'welfare calendar' for 2021-22 fiscal with listing all the schemes that will be implemented in each month of the year. The calendar for the execution of the 'Navaratnalu' schemes for the 2021–22 financial year and announced the schedule for the performance of 23 welfare schemes and programme seems to be a commendable move. The public can be benefited by implementing welfare schemes in a time-bound manner. Hope that the government will be successful in completing all the schemes. This is the need of the hour.
Amit Singh Kushwaha,
Satna (M.P.)
Axis Bank services
Axis Bank is a leading Bank in the private sector. However, of late, the banking services, and functioning of its ATMs, and digital services have become very bad. Most of the off-site ATMs in Guwahati and other parts of the region do not function most of the time or unable to dispense cash. Further, there is a tendency of the Bank to take service charges that may not be appropriate, and without prior intimation to the customers. The digital services, internet and mobile banking services, leaves much to be desired, with various service options unable to give the desired outputs, and with many technical glitches. The grievance mechanism has been made such that it is very difficult to raise issues and complaints for redressal. Most of the complaints remain unattended for weeks. I am not sure if this is the case across India.
Further, most of the officials in the Axis Bank branches are either not knowledgeable and trained enough or unwilling to help or provide adequate services, including basic and routine ones.
Through this communication, I would like to bring it to the notice of Axis Bank customers to be alert about their services from the Bank. I also urge the top management of the Bank to take immediate corrective steps in this regard. I also deem it fit to bring the above to notice of the RBI, and the Banking Ombudsman.
D Bhutia,
RGB Road, Guwahati
Oath Commissioners and Notary Public
Rajasthan High Court had to once direct action against two Oath Comm-issioners having attested an affidavit while the applicant was out of the country. Such an illegal practice is quite common when usually Oath Commissioners and Notary Public fulfill formality of attesting documents without verifying the person or signature whose signatures are to be attested. The Central government has done away with many outdated laws and practices having been continued in free India as British legacy even after seven long decades of independence.
Time has come to abolish the totally outdated and useless practice of having Oath-Commissioners and Notary Public who are mostly in malpractice of charging fees much in excess than rupees 20 and 30 respectively as fixed by the government. Many fake Oath Commissioners and Notary Public have also emerged who sign after putting rubber-stamp in name of Oath Commissioner and Notary Public without noting details in the register which is mandatory to be kept by them.
Concept of self-attestation has been introduced in many cases. Scope of this concept may be increased further for other documents. Power of attestation should be given to layers, chartered-accountants, medical-practitioners, officers of government and public-sector-undertakings and other such responsible categories of persons. Station-House-Officers (SHOs) of police-stations who presently do not have such powers, may be authorized and duty-bound to free-of-cost attest documents of those who do not have easy access to authorities mentioned above.
In the meanwhile, people may be educated through media-advertisements about list of Oath Commissioners and Notary Public mentioning prescribed fees for attestation making it compulsory to issue receipts for paid attesting fees. Overcharging of attesting fees or without proper entry in register or verification may be made non-bailable offence.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal,
Delhi