Letters to the Editor: Spitting in public

Through the column of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to draw the attention of people and concerned authorities towards the issue of spitting in public places, which is getting worse day by day.

Most of the times when I use the foot bridge built recently, which are equipped with escalators, lifts and stairs, I have to watch where I place my feet while walking so that, I don't go sliding on someone's sputum. People continue to litter public places like bus stands, vicinity of malls, flyovers, public restrooms etc., despite being reminded of their civic sense and responsibilities through banners, posters and rallies. Spitting in public places could enhance the spread of the COVID-19 virus. And not only that, anyone can unknowingly have an active case of tuberculosis, or be a carrier, and each time they spit, they are spreading their germs far and wide.

Sir, I believe that it is our duty to take up the issue of 'Spitting in public places' in practical ways. Educating, sensitizing and disseminating information about the need to stop spitting are vital steps to get rid of the mess. There are many ways to do so, some of them are:

1. In every place there shall be provided a sufficient number of spittoons in convenient places and shall be maintained in a clean and hygienic condition.

2. No person shall spit in public places, except in spittoons, and penalty for its violation shall be prominently displayed.

3. Ban on paan masala or any other chewing things which people chew and spit. Through your reliable and trusted media coverage, I would like to highlight the above-mentioned concerns for the benefit of the people.

Bhagyashree Das,

Cotton University.

AASU not seen in action!

The fact of the matter is that AASU is not really in action! The probable reason is being that AASU is in deep slumber, when Assamese people need them most. Powerful forces are waging war against the Assamese from all sides, but AASU is in slumber. If it is pretentious, then there could be mainly two reasons for maintaining studied silence. One, perhaps AASU is no more interested to fight for the cause of Assamese people who are timid, have no self-respect, are extremely self-centered and get easily sold out in the political milieu. Second, AASU leaders are getting older and tired. It is also a fact that AASU has been struggling relentlessly without visible success, for the cause of Assamese people for many years. At the same time, the Assamese people are also tired of seeing the same faces for many decades. New blood has to be infused having no inclination towards any political hue. Replacement of top two brasses from AASU is the need of the hour. The sooner it is done, the better for the student community and Assamese people at large.

Prafulla Dowarah,

Guwahati.

Termites and an eyesore!

The AASU since its inception in the Brahmaputra Valley has been fighting relentlessly for the safeguard and interest of the indigenous sons of the soil. Judiciously, it has always maintained an apolitical identity, which endeared it to the common people. Many AASU leaders after their graceful retirement from the organization joined politics and served the society in different capacities as political leaders. But of late, with the birth of few power-hungry, over-aged and selfish elements, AASU has gradually started losing its creditability as well as its apolitical identity. Lurinjyoti Gogoi, the former AASU general secretary and presently serving as president of AJP (a totally rejected political party in the state), is a glaring example who, before resigning from the AASU, behaved like a politician after taking full advantage of the anti-CAA movement which, of course, failed miserably but that movement crippled the academic and financial atmosphere of the state. Now we very often see on different local TV channels that some middle-aged persons in their late forties have started representing themselves as AASU leaders to make their presence felt in parts of Brahmaputra Valley, with the exception in places like Dhubri, Barpeta, Goalpara, Nagaon, Morigaon and parts of Darrang district. Their evergreen advisor, in his late fifties, seems to be their idol. They are in fact termites of the society and an eyesore for us.

Joel Goyari,

Tangla.

Humanity is the key

Where is our humanity nowadays? Humanity is vanishing day by day. In this busy world, nobody has the time to think about others. Everyone is busy with his/her own work and there is no empathy for fellow humans. In today's society there is no position for poor, ugly people because people want beautiful and rich people. People don't appreciate persons with a good heart. People generally notice physical beauty rather than inner beauty. Nowadays people don't respect strength of character and instead they respect money. In reality, for most people the aim of life is not humanity, but earning more and more money. We should try to be social persons. No individual is perfect in this universe, so we should try and understand each other. Society can develop only on the basis of human capital. In fact, the very first article of the UN Declaration of Human Rights states that "all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights". In our life, inner beauty is more important than external beauty.

Asik Ahmed,

Nalbari.