When Meghalaya was born, we had 80 per cent tribals and 20 per cent non-tribal Meghalayans. I Google checked to find this explanation: “the practice or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalised such as those who have physical and mental disabilities and members of minority groups.” Coming to the context of good governance in Meghalaya, the moot question is: Does the Government follow an inclusive policy? Or is it becoming increasingly exclusive? To answer this question honestly, we need to delve into the past. The antonym of “inclusion” is “exclusion”. The dictionary meaning of the word “inclusion” is: “the action of including or the state of being included”. The word “inclusive” is the adjective of “inclusion”(noun). Personally I am indebted to the writer for bringing home what it means to have “good governance.” I endorse all of what he said and would like to dwell a bit on the term “inclusive”. I refer to the thought provoking letter “On good governance and Meghalaya” by DS Singh (ST Sept 30,2020). So let us not dabble in history but rather reconcile to our fates as a tiny tribe. And only 15 years later the fear of Churchill was right in front of our eyes. Let us not lose sight of Sir Winston Churchill’s fears conveyed to one contemporary historian Mr Hussain of possible invasion from the North. It was 1947 and we could not have expected our leaders, however patriotic they may be, to have a telescopic eyesight into 2020. Be that as it may, one can never be disappointed with Rev Nichols Roy. I don’t understand why U Wycliffe Syiem did not continue his resistance to anything that endangered the Syiemship. On the other hand Vol No: LXIII No.82 SHILLONG, SATURDAY, NOVEMTO THE EDITOR the other party comprised the native chiefs whose powers and rights had been severely eroded by the British. Rev Roy wished to be clubbed with India and not East Pakistan. He took part in the sub Advisory Committee meeting held at Shillong on June 10, 1947, 2 months and 5 days before Independence to listen to the views of those led by Rev JJM Nichols Roy. The Statue of Unity depicts the gratitude of all Indians for the extreme sacrifice of Sardar Patel in his fight against British colonialism under the Satyagrahi, M.K Gandhi who was assassinated in January 1949.įor Meghalayans, Sardar Patel had played a major role in the matter of Accession of Khasi states to the Indian Union. Those were the happy peaceful era of Chini – Hindi Bhai Bhai. The statue was constructed by Chinese engineers and their rank and file at the cost of Rs 3000 crores. Prime Minister Modi paid rich tributes to Sardar Vallabhai Patel on his birth anniversary at the place where the World’s tallest statue – the Statue of Unity of Sardar Patel stood tall, shooting high unto the blue sky hovering over the serene blue lake of Kevadiya. Have the alarm bells not already been pressed by the ozone layer and melting snow? If we want to live a healthy life we must stop playing with fire. Our senseless greed and consumerism have “toxified the environment”. God’s creation should always be in bloom in every respect. We have to learn from the pandemic that has devoured so many lives and brought so much sorrow. I further add, there will be no better time than this DIWALI amidst the coronavirus to take a serious pledge to restore our pale and sickly environment. In view of the pandemic, Delhi, Odisha, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, West Bengal, Sikkim governments have already completely/partially banned fireworks.
The Government of Meghalaya should consider banning all toxic firecrackers in this coming Diwali. Therefore, we should not let the evil of Covid bring the darkness of death upon humanity. Moreover, the festival of light – Laxmi Puja – represents the victory of righteousness and knowledge over vices and ignorance good over “evil” and light over darkness. Our weakness in the respiratory system due to pollution will make us much weaker and more susceptible to the pandemic. Covid19 and Diwali firecrackers do not go together.
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