Letters to the Editor

Cabinet clears law to punish rapists

It is appreciable that the Union cabinet cleared on April 21 a stringent ordinance for lengthy jail term  and even the death penalty for sex offenders convicted for raping girls below the age of 12 years  while the punishment for the gang rape of a victim below 16 will be imprisonment for life. The raping of a minor girl below 12 years and then killing is a most brutal and heinous crime  and no human being could tolerate it and it is quite justified for death punishment to the culprit. But at the same time, the  judiciary and investigating agency should be able to finalise the case in no time.

Putul Sarma,

Biswanath Chariali.

Review of Performance of Ministers

It seems  Chief Minister  Sarbananda  Sonowal, after  formation  of his  ministry two years ago ,wakes up  suddenly  and asserts  that performance  of ministers will be reviewed. If we remember  correctly, Prime  Minister Narendra  Modi immediately  after formation  of his ministry four years ago announced  of reviewing  the performance  of his ministers. In conformity  with what he had announced , we could  see certain  reshuffle  or dropping  of some ministers for their sordid  performance. But  our Chief Minister  took a pretty  long time  to expand his  ministry. The  delay occured, we believe, mainly because  rebellion  could surface. The  deprived MLAs who   harboured the desire  of  becoming  minister would  raise a hue  and cry. Now  that the expansion of  ministry has taken  place  with the induction  of  four cabinet  and 3 state  ministers, Chief Minister Sonowal without loss of time  announced  reviewing  of performance  of ministers. Incidentally, during Congress  regime, there was zero  accountability of the ministers  who enjoyed  a period  of free for  all  and the people  of Assam   displaced  them. Does the  present ruling  dispensation  want the same ?  People are already  displeased and over-burdened  with the  imposition  of novel  taxes  by the Centre. Dishonesty and poor  performance of ministers would surely compound  their displeasure. Merely  reviewing  of performance  of ministers  is a meaningless exercise  if accountability is not  fixed  if they  fail to deliver  to the  people's  satisfaction. We are  of firm  conviction  that with the onset of  floods  and in  devastation and erosion  would rule the roost in the State. Obviously, Warer Resource  minister has a tough  time ahead. Honesty  and  efficiency should  be  the punch line now.

Ashok  Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh.