Letters to the Editor: Treat them as Humans

Treat them as humans

Every Sunday when I go home from my rented house, I visit the Shiva Dol of Sivasagar, as it lies on my way home from the university area. I almost always take the opportunity to spend peaceful moments at this heritage site, sitting on the green grass under the vast blue sky. Moreover, the cool breeze flowing from the 'Barpukhuri', or Sivasagar Tank, is always enough to draw me back to that serene place. However, whenever I go to this heaven-like place, I notice a few homeless people begging for their meals from pilgrims and visitors. Poverty remains a harsh reality in our Indian society. I would not hesitate to criticize the entire government system for this issue, although that is not my main concern here. What truly disturbs me is the way many people treat these homeless individuals. I have often seen them being ignored, insulted, or driven away as if they were not even human.

Shockingly, some people even physically assault homeless individuals, forgetting that they are also members of our society. They may be poor, helpless, and deprived of basic necessities, but they still deserve dignity, respect, and kindness. We often speak of humanity, kindness, and moral values, but such values are reflected not in words but in our actions. If we cannot help them financially, at least we can treat them with respect. After all, being human is not about wealth or status—it is about empathy.

Akashpratim Sensua,

Sivasagar University

Combined elections

It's a well-known fact that a political party will form the next government in Assam as the assembly election is approaching, and there's nothing new in this context. It's very thoughtful that a committee headed by Ram Nath Kovind, former President of India, has been formed to examine whether the parliamentary and the assembly elections may be held simultaneously to avoid unnecessary expenses incurred in an election, and all of us should support any positive decision taken in this regard. Nowadays, almost all political parties tend to field the same candidate for both the parliamentary and assembly elections; if a candidate wins one election, they leave their previous seat, necessitating a by-election, which the government must conduct at the expense of the public exchequer. It's very strange that one particular person becomes so important for a political party! As such, there should be a debate to shun this practice in the name of democratic rights if we're to build our country a developed one.

Benudhar Das

Galiahati-No.2, Barpeta