- Home
- Live Blog
- Breaking News
- Top Headlines
- Cities
- NE News
- Sentinel Media
- Sports
- Education
- Jobs
It is not understood why some people of Assam are crazy about the formation of a new regional party for fulfilling the aspirations of the people. From our past experience, it has been seen that a purely regional party cannot yield any fruitful results up to the expectations of the people of the state. The AGP, the TDP etc are some examples of regional parties. With time, some leaders of the party go astray and a lobby-type system takes the upper hand where some leaders get more concerned about their personal interest rather than working for the welfare of the people they represent.
For Assam, 14 MPs to the parliament is not a matter to reckon with. This group of MPs, at any time, may play the deciding role for the formation of the government at the Centre. Moreover, almost all the states of the north-eastern region have similar problems. Hence, from our opinion, the new party should have a regional root, but can go for a national party, keeping space for the other states of the NE region in future. In doing so, the name of the party must not reflect one single state's identity only. We sincerely hope that some genuine citizens/politicians of Assam will come forward to convene a platform to discuss these issues.
Dr PC Sarmah,
Sonali Jayanti Nagar,
Tarajan, Jorhat-1.
Prime Minister Narender Modi-led NDA government at the Centre had a well-deserved all-round land-slide victory because of first-ever multi-cornered bold steps against terror generating Pakistan, targeting militants and separatists in Kashmir valley in every possible manner. The country does hope of immediate abolition of Article 370 and 35A from the Constitution as also promised in BJP poll-manifesto for permanent solution of the Kashmir problem created by wrong policies of our first Prime Minister.
The country also has high hopes of immediate construction of Ram temple at the birth-place of Lord Rama at Ayodhya, a fact which is even acknowledged by other countries, including Srlanka and Pakistan through admitted historical facts about existence of Lord Rama. It is noteworthy that Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation PTDC in its tourist-brochure for Lahore has mentioned Lahore to be city named after Luv, elder son of Lord Rama. Now the new BJP government at the Centre will have free hand to tackle pseudo-secularists so as to do away with minority-appeasing vote-bank politics.
At the same time, the new government should also urgently look into genuine aspects of simplifying GST and permanent mechanism of voluntary disclosure of black money by making news items in this regard on economy pages of newspapers of 23.05.2019 a dream-come-true wherein there is a mention of quarterly-returns for GST and long-term elephant-bonds for 50-per cent amount of disclosed unaccounted money in these bonds to be utilized for infrastructure-development which will further generate employment-opportunities.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal,
Chandni Chowk, Delhi-110006.
It refers to welcome news about Lok Sabha secretariat doing away with five-star transit-stay in hotels for newly elected Lok Sabha members who are not members of previous Lok Sabha thereby saving pubic money of about Rs 35 crore. Earlier many newly elected members, including appointed ministers, misused the facility of transit-stay at five-starred hotels by not vacating even after allocation of regular government accommodation. Now transit-stay will be done at luxuriously maintained state guest-houses and newly developed annexe at Western Court complex at New Delhi. It is noteworthy that the then Union Home Minister Indrajit Gupta had used Western Court accommodation even holding the ministerial-post.
But same should be system for others given luxury of stay at five-starred hotels at publicist like by public-sector-undertakings which hold conferences even at hill-resorts only to provide such luxury to its staffers. Even Padma awardees currently stayed at Ashoka Hotel (New Delhi) should be accommodated at newly developed annexe of Western Court and state guest houses in Delhi when they visit New Delhi at government expense for receiving Padma awards.
Subhash Chandra Agrawal,
1775 Kucha Lattushah,
Dariba, Chandni Chowk,
Delhi-110006 (India)
Fish, as we all know, is a staple item in the traditional Assamese cuisine. There is no ethnic group in Assam that does not consume fish as a part of their meal.
Today, the prices of fish have risen to the extent where its consumption can only be called a luxury.
The local fish that we purchase are very expensive. Is it due to inadequacy of cold storage in the region or due to a lack of fisheries, is a fact unknown to me but we can surely see that the local fish are certainly pricey as compared to the fish which are imported from other states into Assam.
The fish imported have also the taxes included in their price which must be paid at various check posts. Is this due to regions such as Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal having more fisheries, better cold storage facilities or tax relaxation?
We have also seen a gradual decline in the availability of regional fish that once formed an integral part of our cuisine such as Koi, Channa (Goroi), Stinging catfish (Singi), small fresh water fish like Puthi, etc.
Another important issue I would like to raise through your esteemed daily is that the same fish - Bahu/ Katla/ Indian carp - which is one of the highest consumed fish in Assam is priced at around Rs.450 per kilogram at the Junali Point in RG Baruah Road and about less than a kilometre away, at the Zoo Road Tiniali at Rs.250 per kilogram. This is not a small difference in price at all.
Is fish really getting expensive or are we as consumers getting overexploited by the sellers?
There must be a uniform rate of fish set throughout the state, similar to that of poultry, to ensure that fish does not disappear from the common man's plate.
Rifa Deka,
Royal School of Communications and Media, Royal Global University, Guwahati.
Time and again, we have been cautioning that Assam is sitting on a volcano which may explode at any time. To blame the selfish political parties which are responsible for encouraging migration of illegal Bangladeshis from across the porous border is a mere cry in the wilderness. Needless to add, many fundamentalists migrate to India in the guise of illegal infiltrators. These fundamentalists find the Madrassas as their ideal hub from where they disperse to different parts of India for carrying out subversive activities - reports published in the print and electronic media speak volume of what we contend. A report aired by electronic media suggests that a higher institution received Hawala money from Kuwait and the matter is being investigated into and a number of arrests have been made. Hopefully, many shocking facts may tumble out in near future centering round the Hawala money received from Kuwait. Meanwhile, our Chief Minister had been summoned to New-Delhi to hold talks regarding the law-and-order situation that might arise in the wake of publication of the final draft of NRC. It seems, the MHA (Ministry of Home Affairs) is equally concerned about the volcanic situation owing to the presence of the fundamentalist elements. Entry of the fundamentalist groups, if not checked properly, may permeate to the whole of India like bonfire and burn the nation.
Ashok Bordoloi,
Dibrugarh.