Her safety, our duty
In today's world, women have reached great heights in education, science, sports, business, and every field of life. But one question remains unanswered — are women truly safe?
Nowadays, many girls live with fear in their hearts. A simple walk on the road, travelling alone, returning home after sunset, or using public transport often becomes a matter of concern. Every day, reports of harassment, violence, and crimes against women remind girls that safety cannot always be taken for granted. A girl should not have to change her dreams, limit her freedom, or fear stepping outside because of the actions of others. She deserves to live with dignity, respect, and confidence. Every girl is entitled to study, work, travel, and build her future without fear.
Women's safety is not only a women's issue; it is the responsibility of families, communities, and society as a whole. Parents should teach their children the values of respect and equality. Schools and colleges should raise awareness about gender sensitivity and human values.
More importantly, society must stop blaming women for the violence they face and instead focus on changing the mindset that allows such crimes to happen. Respect for women should not be taught only through words but also through actions. The progress of a nation is measured by how safe its women feel. A truly developed society is one where every girl can walk freely, dream fearlessly, and live without fear. Women's safety is not a privilege to be given; it is a basic right that every woman deserves.
Pubali Das
Pragjyotish College, Guwahati
Time to work together
The recent outbreak of violence during the Khasi Students' Union protest rally in Shillong, where miscreants allegedly attacked vehicles with Assam registration numbers, highlights a deeper issue. The incident also triggered concerns over the safety of vehicles and commuters from Assam. What surprises me more is that such an unpleasant situation happened at a time when Meghalaya and other northeast states in the region were preparing for a new tourist season. It reveals a more profound issue of revenue sharing among tourism stakeholders, particularly the taxi owners of Assam and Meghalaya. The editorial "Deeper malaise" has rightly pointed out that the professionalism of law enforcement agencies is a must to immediately implement measures to prevent the escalation of violence. If the issue of two neighbouring states is overlooked and left unresolved, it will definitely be a persistent irritant in the healthy interdependence of tourism promotion. One must keep it in mind that the transport sector plays the most crucial role in the tourism industry by ferrying tourists from one destination to the next. It is, therefore, imperative for the stakeholders of Meghalaya to understand that Assam is a catalyst for Meghalaya's tourism success story. Hence, they must refrain from any activities that may harm the state's tourism interest. Now, it is important for the Chief Ministers of both Assam and Meghalaya to collaborate to defuse tensions as quickly as possible and to enhance efforts to restore peace, trust, and normalcy between the two neighbouring states, which remain constant despite changes in residents. If Assam and Meghalaya are "sister states" historically, culturally and in people-to-people relations, then mutual respect, restraint and sensibility must accord topmost priority for the greater interest of both states.
Iqbal Saikia,
Guwahati