Tough talk on outlaws and terrorists – The Shillong Times

Editor,

Rymbui talks tough on HNLC blast (ST Dec 15, 2020) came in as a pleasant surprise from a Government that has otherwise lost its spine when it comes to dealing with any ragtag social organisation. As citizens of Meghalaya we must be very clear about what the HNLC is all about. The outfit projects itself especially to our gullible and innocent youngsters as a romantic organisation of patriots that stands for the life and freedom of the Hynniewtrep people. Nothing can be further from the truth and the truth has to be spoken. It is nothing but a bunch of lazy thugs who want to enjoy a life of luxury and ease by robbing and stealing from those who earn honest money by the sweat of their brows. The HNLC has murdered more innocent Khasis than anything else. This must always be kept in mind. It is a banned terrorist organisation that kills only for money should remain banned unless it changes its ways.

The Home Minister is correct when he states that peace talks with the outfit cannot be initiated by way of threats or through bomb blasts. Terrorists cannot dictate terms to any legitimate elected Government. The HNLC has perhaps gained confidence because of the offers from some misguided and attention seeking colleague of the HM who has repeatedly called upon the Govt and the Centre to start talking to so called misguided elements. I think this particular minister should first concentrate on how to save the state from Covid 19 than to speak of saving the skin of these criminals. They are criminals and extortionists and nothing can change that. We are glad to have a Home Minister made of tougher stuff. Let the banned outfit first lay down arms. Govt should talk from a position of strength and confidence; with the understanding that it speaks for the interest and concern of the common man not for some cheap media publicity and must not be cowed down by the threats of more bomb blasts or criminal acts of desperation from the HNLC.

The HNLC is in fact on the verge of collapse and they manage a hand to mouth survival from the extortions ( they call them Tax) they make from fly by night coal miners and coke and cement plants located in Jaintia Hills and Shallang. A bit of pressure from the police and these financial sources will also dry up. The HNLC has nowhere to go and will try to bluff its way out with some cheap terror tactics it has picked up from the ULFA and the NSCN. But all this is the death throes of a dying outfit. It will try to create as much mayhem as possible. The people of Meghalaya deserve to live in peace. The police had kicked out the HNLC once. It can do so again. Let us not try and give it legitimacy once again. Our Home Minister needs the support and praise of the public for doing what he is supposed to do. Keep up the good work!

Yours etc.,

Jowai

Editor,

Several higher educational institutions have resorted to online classes for students in Shillong. The examination for the final year students was also conducted in an online mode. The app used by the University i.e.,NEHU was called My Placement Perfectice which was rated in the playstore with only 1.8 stars. Making the app work was a herculean task as the students had to face tremendous difficulties during the examination and also while uploading the PDF file. As the app was not up to the mark,the students were also asked to submit the hard copies to their respective institutions in order to avoid any chaos in the future. After fulfilling all the requirements, the students were still harassed after the results as they had to rush to their institutions due to several issues related to their examination marks. This might be due to some errors by the faculty checking the papers of the respected university which however led to unfair allocation of marks to various students. Also there were other issues like some students being considered absent when they actually appeared for their online examination. Therefore, I request the University to kindly look into the matter and allocate marks with fairness and equity.

Yours etc.,

Name withheld on request,

Via email

Editor,

It is mind-boggling that while the festering issue of unemployment in Meghalaya is unerringly acute, but, conversely, it has been reported that there are a good number of suitable vacancies in our state which are lying vacant indefinitely. A move to fill up the same is evidently progressing at snails pace much to the agony of qualified and keenly desirous unemployed youths thereby putting the latter in a limbo and in utter desperation.

In this context, I am given to understand that of late in one of the premier departments that is in Agriculture, there are one hundred (100) or thereabouts number of vacancies exclusively pertaining to technical line to be progressively manned by the agricultural passed graduates following the expansion of the Department through its various outreach programmes, retirement of officers, deceased in service and promotions of officers which have therefore resulted in the vacancies. Markedly, it has been appraised that of the outstanding vacancies which number about 183 have been conveyed to the nodal department to conduct the selection proceedings of applicants. With so many vacancies a lot of official work is pending and the existing staff are asked to multi-task. There is undue pressure on the existing officers in the wake of man-power shortage.

Hence there is a crying need for the appointing authorities to speed up the recruitment process by ensuring that the interviews/appointments are held at the earliest in order to ameliorate the angst of these unemployed youths. And on the flip side and vis--vis the extant vacancies in question, there is a growing army of the unemployed agricultural graduates annually, who are pining to be absorbed in Agriculture and other allied sectors, but currently they have had to cool their heels indefinitely. And in the fullness of time they may utilize their time, while awaiting appointment, to pursue higher studies like M.Sc in farming eco-system and even acquire a PhD degree but by then many of them would have crossed the employable age and thus lose the opportunity of serving their state, a speculation they had nurtured so passionately when selecting Agriculture as a course of study and employment opportunity.

Yours etc.,

Jerome K. Diengdoh,

Via email

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Tough talk on outlaws and terrorists - The Shillong Times