Letters to the Editor: Miserable drainage system

Through the columns of your esteemed daily newspaper, I would like to draw the attention of the authorities concerned towards the miserable drainage system in my locality, which is Srikanta Dutta Path, Odalbakra, Lal Ganesh. The water gets clogged every rainy season and insects start their breeding, which leads to various skin diseases. There might be even water contamination. This is indeed a matter of great concern.

I, therefore, request that remedial action be initiated by the authorities concerned.

Arunaday Sutradhar,

Guwahati.

From the horse's mouth

It is important to hear from the horse's mouth. Septuagenarian politician, Ghulam Nabi Azad of the Indian National Congress, former Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir and Union Cabinet Minister, Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and Padma Bhushan awardee, has nailed it with his recent comments on politics and politicians.

"We (political parties) divided people on the basis of area (ilaka), region, village and cities, Hindu and Muslim, Shia and Sunni, Dalit and non-Dalit, divisions in backward classes also. Now, who remains to be a human in all this? Human values have lost priorities amidst the decline...," Azad said. Continuing the British policy of divide and rule, many political parties, primarily the Congress, practiced this to their benefit. Ironically, the silo mindset of individual regions, religions, castes and creeds provided them an easy shot.

At a time when the movie 'The Kashmir Files", based on the 1990 Kashmiri Pandits' exodus, is creating a buzz within the political arena, cine lovers and sundry, his comment – "Pakistan and militancy are responsible for what has happened in Jammu and Kashmir. It has affected all in Jammu and Kashmir, including Hindus, Kashmiri Pandits, Muslims, Dogras," – speak volumes about the culprits of the atrocities. Still, many will yell their obnoxious opinions, those in support by demanding instant justice and those in denial seeking veracity of the events depicted in the movie to create pandemonium. This erodes the real sentiment.

Azad also commented that, "Politics in India has become so ugly that sometimes one has to doubt whether we are human." Such an admission from a person of his experience and stature, speaks a lot about the fading morality within the political class. Politics of convenience and opportunism has become the norm of the day. Hurling profanities during campaigning, ruckus inside Parliament and Assemblies, inappropriate behaviour in public, misuse of public resources etc., have become synonymous with many politicians. Fifty percent of present Lok Sabha members have criminal records (source - India Today). And the bigger tragedy is that persons festooned with misdeeds get re-elected. Accused under-trails and even convicted candidates were cheered, re-elected and if not eligible for contesting, their progenies, irrespective of their capability, get elected.

However, Azad's comments on politics and politicians also attribute some culpability to the public. After all, it is the public who elect these politicians to power and, by endorsing someone allegedly dividing the society, we simply cannot put the blame entirely on politicians and ourselves escape sterile. Although the people in general are more or less aware of the reality, yet they do not voice it too often. In the modern cognitive and informative era, the public can really make a difference while exercising their democratic right - by ignoring the dishonesties and prudently effect necessary change.

Monoj Kumar Hazarika,

Bangalore.