Letters to The Editor

Nadda incident

The incident involving BJP chief JP Nadda in West Bengal was an assault since it was carried out with weapons. The Home Ministry overreacted by summoning the West Bengal officers to Delhi when the aggrieved BJP leaders ought to have sought legal recourse. The Home Minister is for the whole of India, and not just the BJP.

Chandan Kumar Nath,

Sorbhog- 4

Zebra crossings

We come across many zebra crossings in Guwahati. All are distinct by the way they are painted. But, it is regretted that vehicles or bikes coming at high speed seldom slow down at such important points. It is very difficult to cross even if one signals vehicles to stop. Sometimes, it may cost a pedestrian's life. Through this letter I request the authorities concerned to school the erring drivers. After overtaking was allowed from both sides of a vehicle, crossing through zebra lines has escalated the problem as though one vehicle may stop, another vehicle may speed up.

Purabi Pathak Barua,

Guwahati

Avoid plastic bags

The Municipal Corporation of Gurugram has set up the first 'Cloth Bag Bank' to make the city polythene free. Women's self-help groups are linked with this Bag Bank to supply cloth bags to eliminate polythene in various market regions of the city. People are being made aware to use cloth bags instead of polythene. The Bag Banks will offer bags ranging from Rs 3 to Rs 20. Anyone can come to Bag Bank and exchange old clothes and plastic bottles for these cloth bags. Cloth collection boxes will be installed in different locations across the city to make people aware. This is a laudable move towards Clean India. People need to use cloth bags to sustain the environment.

Amit Singh Kushwaha,

Satna (M.P.)

Need for more debates and discussions

As the deadlock between the Centre and the farmer unions continues without any significant breakthrough in sight, the BJP-led government have only themselves to blame for the current situation. Though the farm reforms were much needed and have the potential to benefit the farming community, the manner in which these laws were brought into effect without sufficient consultations and discussions, except announcing these as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat package, have only added to mistrust and misinformation among various stakeholders.

Ever since the Modi-government took office, the 'shock and awe' tactic and over-centralization of decision-making power have become the government's modus operandi. Debates, discussions, public consultations, access to data and information, and even media briefings have taken a back seat. This strategy has actually become counterproductive in several instances and has resulted in widespread misinformation and crisis-like situations that could have easily been avoided had the government shown interest in building consensus. Given how difficult implementing the new farm laws has become, the government might have to face even greater resistance with its planned economic reforms which have already been called out as radical and anti-people by its critics.

The political leaders must realize that what may work for achieving their political ambitions may not be in the best interest of the nation's well-being and cannot be achieved simultaneously using the same magic tricks. Democracy thrives on debates, discussions, compromises and consensus. It is the solemn duty of a democratically elected government to respect the essence of democracy and should not get carried away while enjoying its overwhelming majority in the supreme legislative body of the nation.

Himangka Kaushik,

Guwahati.

Merciless
Mamata Banerjee

The Chief Minister of West Bengal is doing just the opposite her name's meaning (in Bengali). History suggests that elections in West Bengal have never been peaceful. But this time around the situation that is arising out in the run-up to the Assembly elections is alarming. There is complete mockery of law and order. The way in which Opposition cadres are targeted and eliminated doesn't sound good. Mamata Didi has been silent over the killings which are carried out by her TMC supporters or cadres. This time merciless Mamata Banerjee looks shaky and it can be further evidenced by the recent resignation of some of her confidential people from her party. The recent political mayhem in the State is a direct pointer to her frustration and nervousness.

Lanu Dutta Chowdhury,

Guwahati