Letters to THE EDITOR: Craze for Power

Craze for Power

The Congress-JDS combine has come to power in Karnataka even though it is the BJP that got maximum number of seats. As the Supreme Court did not give enough time to the BJP for floor test, it had to leave the scene, leading to the Congress-JDS combine to come to power.

Whatever it might be, one thing is clear: it is craze for power, and power alone, which dictates the course of politics in this country these days. Otherwise, despite the full knowledge that it was short of simple majority, the BJP was trying very hard to form the next government, while the Congress and the JDS, who were archrivals before the polls, lost no time to come together and say they will provide a stable government.

One only hopes one party – just one party – comes to power at the Centre next time, be it the BJP or the Congress. As things go now, the BJP's chances are higher. After all, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has won many hearts.

Shivani Kalita,

Silpukhuri, Guwahati.

Public Memory

The ongoing protests undertaken by the Congress under the leadership of Ripun Bora against the entry of Hindu Bengali-speaking people from Bangladesh to Assam makes lesser mortals like me wonder why the same party was silent for so many years when there was massive influx of Bengali-speaking Muslims into the State. Why does the Congress maintain a double standard? A foreigner is a foreigner irrespective of religion. The answer to this question is simple: The illegal infiltrators were a vote bank of the Congress. During the reign of the Congress in the State, even former Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi failed to notice a single Bangladeshi even when he was shown authentic proof.

Leaders like Ripun Bora think public memory is short (generally it is) and they can fool the people all the time. The sins committed by the Congress in Assam are irreparable. As many as 15 districts of the State underwent demographic change while the Congress remained silent.

Himadri Chekanidhara,

Bihpuria, North Lakhimpur.

A Shabby Dibrugarh

A time was there when the people of Dibrugarh could literally assert that they lived in a clean city. Yes, that exactly happened during the Congress regime. The then chairman of the Dibrugarh Municipality left no stone unturned to ensure the cleanliness of Dibrugarh. The tower-clock in Chowkidinghee Chariali to beautify Dibrugarh was the result of his sustained effort. In contrast, the present scenario of Dibrugarh as far as cleanliness is concerned is far from satisfaction. What ails the present Municipality of Dibrugarh? An insider of the Municipality on condition of anonymity let me know that the present financial condition of the Municipality is not good. Sometimes the matter comes to such a pass that money runs short even in making payment to the sweepers and it results into accumulation of debris and stench. That apart, for want of public toilets, many people urinate on the edge of the roads creating nuisance. We were greatly impressed during our last visit to Delhi in February (2018), we saw many public toilets in different constituencies being built by the local M.L.As. Or M.Ps. but no such initiative appears to have been undertaken here. We are extremely sorry to note this sort of apathy shown by our representatives towards cleanliness. We are concerned with the fact that a shabby Dibrugarh implies a serious lacuna on the administration at the helm of which our Chief-minister Sarbananda Sonowal is there. We feel the Dibrugarh M.L.A. should do well to at least to monitor the working of the Municipality and guide the present chairperson.

Ashok Bordoloi,

Dibrugarh.