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| An overloaded bus in Karbi Anglong district |
The recent incident of some people being killed in a bus mishap near Morigaon is a glaring example of how bus-owners put the passengers? lives at risk by allowing their staff to carry more people than the actual capacity of the vehicle.
In this case, the inclement weather was also one of the factors behind the bus skidding into a pond. But the ?overcrowded? factor was obviously the primary reason for the mishap. The driver lost control of the bus as it was carrying a large number of passengers beyond its capacity. In such a situation, accidents are bound to happen.
The bus was carrying more than 52 passengers while its actual capacity was 32, including the driver and the conductor.
But in the race for making money, the bus-owners and drivers hardly look into these factors. They have no concern for the safety and security of the passengers and money is what they value more than anything else.
One question arises here.
Has the state transport department vowed to keep its eyes shut while issuing licences to such bus-owners who flout norms with no or little regard for the law?
Does the department have no mandatory rule for the buses not to carry passengers beyond their capacity?
And if yes, then why does the department not enforce these laws strictly?
Once that is done, many such tragedies can be averted and several innocent lives will not be lost because of the bus-owners? greediness.
Gautam Saikia,
Nagaon
I would like to thank and congratulate filmmaker of international repute, Jahnu Baruah, for his genuine effort to refresh Gandhian thoughts and ideas among the people through his film Maine Gandhi Ko Nahin Mara.
The title of the film indicates that Baruah has tried to analyse the ideals of Gandhi in the context of complexities centred around his death.
Moreover, I appreciate Baruah?s statement when he says that Nathuram Godse had killed Gandhi in the physical sense only, but his ideals are being murdered every day in India.
This is an honest statement without any cynicism.
The path followed by Gandhi was that of non-violence, but in today?s world, non-violence is rejected by the majority.
However, in reality, if we examine the inherent power of non-violence, this weapon can be the strongest against all the battles we face in our lifetime.
The tenets of Gandhi still hold great significance, at least in the trouble-torn Northeast, where violence against humanity is still the order of the day.
It?s time somebody utilised Gandhian ideals to bring peace back to the region.
Udit Bhanu Barthakur,
Guwahati
The Centre has marked March 25, 1971, as the cut-off year for the detection and deportation of Bangladeshi migrants.
What is the basis of accepting this date? Bangladesh was created on March 25, 1971.
Before this date the same people of Bangladesh were East Pakistanis. General Yahya Khan started killing the East Pakistanis but the Indian army resisted him, following which Bangladesh was created.
Though India rescued the Bangladeshis, they are now attacking India silently through infiltration.
By sending illegal migrants, Bangladesh is trying to capture Assam, thereby making the indigenous people a minority section in their own state.
There is also no provision in the Constitution to grant citizenship to illegal migrants.
People entering India illegally after January 1950 are posing a danger to the entire demography of Assam. Accepting 1971 as a cut-off year for illegal Bangladeshi migrants is only a political issue and not constitutional.
Ismail Khan,
Guwahati
It seems that the residents of Guwahati will have to learn to live with drinking water scarcity.
Both the Guwahati Municipal Corporation (GMC) and the Assam Urban water Supply and Sewerage Board have failed to provide regular drinking water to the residents.
It seems that the civic bodies are least bothered with the problems faced by the residents.
The authorities are busy minting money from the government coffers.
The less said about corruption in the GMC and the Assam Urban Water Supply and Sewerage Board is better.
These departments depict the prevailing lawlessness in the state.
It seems that government officials have started functioning like goons and in spite of repeated pleas from the residents, they are adamant not to take any action.
Hopefully some measures will be initiated on the part of the civic bodies of the city to solve the water crisis as soon as possible.
Rebati Das,
Guwahati
The war between the various militant organisations operating in the hill districts of Assam has left the common people with a sense of dread.
Hundreds of lives have already been lost in the ethnic fight in Karbi Anglong where both Karbi and Dimasa tribes have their daggers drawn to prove their superiority.
In spite of the prevailing tension in the district, the state government failed to stop the gruesome killing of 34 people on October 17.
The state government should have provided security cover to the entire district in view of the militant strife.
Unfortunately, innocent people fell prey to militant violence again and the government remained a mute spectator.
Sunil Rahang,
Diphu
