Letters to the Editor: Ayaram and Gayaram

‘Ayaram and Gayaram’ is a very popular verse used to refer to people who do not permanently adhere to one policy and change their loyalty frequently. They are not seen in a good light by the common people and are never trusted. Now, with the advent of the assembly elections in Rajasthan, Telangana, and Chhattisgarh and the general election around the corner, we find numerous cases of Ayaram and Gayaram across the nation every day. Election time, therefore, is the harvesting time for them, as we see people moving from one party to another, changing their allegiances to their old party overnight. It is a very amusing sight for us when we see the Ayaram and Gayaram breeds accorded a warm welcome in full view of the media by the leaders of the new party.

The Ayarams and Gyarams will hog the media limelight so long as the elections are not over. They are like migratory birds. They make hay while the sun shines.

Dr Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Gaali Brigade

Winning and losing are part of the game. The real sporting spirit is how one takes victory or defeat. Yes, the recently concluded World Cup ODI final loss of Team India to the Aussies after a brilliant show in all the league matches was no doubt a heartbreaking experience for all cricket-crazy Indian fans, and, in the meantime, they have accepted the defeat gracefully and have praised the Aussies for their feat. But sadly, it is not so in the case of our so-called secular opposition leaders, namely Rahul Gandhi, Mamata Didi, and Priyanka Vadra, who do not have any iota of knowledge about cricket. After the loss, it was really a heart-rending scene in the Indian dressing room, and, at the same time, it was a very heartwarming scene when we saw our PM consoling the Indian players in the dressing room and at the same time congratulating the Aussies.

The Gaali Brigade, comprising the above-mentioned, once again started using words like Panauti and Paapi against a duly elected PM of a nation for India’s loss in the final at Ahmedabad.

We still remember that at the 1982 Asian Games, the then PM, the late Indira Gandhi, left the stadium in a huff when India was trailing by 7-1 goals to Pakistan in the hockey final match.

So let us teach them some civility and remind them that public memory is not short.

Lanu Dutt Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Dowry System

The Dowry system is a stigma in our society. It is an insult to women and a matter of shame for men. The greed for dowry has taken the lives of many innocent girls. They are tortured physically as well as mentally. Many times, they are burned alive. Although we have a law that does not allow giving and taking dowry, this evil is still spreading day by day. We cannot end this just by raising slogans and through demonstrations. Women will have to become fearless. They should get an education and become financially independent. They should refuse to marry those who demand dowries. Men should also try to wash away this unholy stain. They must take an oath not to demand or accept dowry at the time of their marriage. This evil can be eliminated only with strong willpower.

Chandasmita Kashyap,

Guwahati

Patriarchy

I am writing to express the unfair treatment of college girls due to patriarchy, even in families that seem open-minded.

Despite India's progress towards gender equality, old-fashioned beliefs still hold young women back from pursuing their dreams. Patriarchy makes girls feel like they are less important than boys and that they should prioritize their brothers' needs before their own.

Girls also face strict rules like curfews, dress codes, and limits on who they can talk to, while boys don't face these kinds of issues. So, even in families that seem modern, they are seen as the flag bearers of patriarchy. We really need to teach everyone about gender inequality and stop believing in harmful stereotypes.

Pooja Ambastha

Gauhati University

Lame excuses

On November 25, BCCI joint secretary Devajit Lon Saikia, through a press conference in line with the upcoming T20 international, tried to convince the public that his hands are tied in case of vouching for our star player Riyan Parag’s selection into the senior national side. It was funny to hear from him that the selection committee discussed the details of Parag’s performance in the SMAT championship. The fact is absolutely a no. The selection committee is said to have discussed in length about players like Sanju Samson, Umran Malik, Chahal, and a few others about their inclusion or exclusion into the national team. The fact is that each state association is pushing the case of their promising and talented players into the senior side. But in the case of ACA, they are more concerned about getting an IPL match, a T20 international, or the appointment of an ACA official in any home international match. In the past, due to the indifferent attitude of ACA members, players like Gautam Dutta, Rajesh Barua, and Krishna Das never got a chance to wear Team India’s jersey. Much was expected of the present committee of the ACA, but alas! They are also following in the footsteps of the previous committee members. One day, Parag will be lost in oblivion, but a few influential members of the ACA will don the coat of higher office bearers of the BCCI.

Shame on the ACA.

Pratuljyoti Buragohain,

Panjabari, Guwahati.