|
|
| wise words ::. | | What is the difference between genius and stupidity? Genius has limits. - Albert Einstein. |
|
|
|
| editorial. | 06/01/04 |
Tighten law & order
There is a joke about a crime that goes like this: A man is brought before the court for having murdered a man for one dollar. The judge asks him why he had committed the mother of all crimes for a measly dollar. The murderer answers 'Your honour, you know how it is. A dollar here, a dollar there can come to a fair amount at the end of the day.' The merciless murder of a woman and the attempted murder of her husband and two children for want of money has brought to stark reality the economic situation of people, especially those living in the rural areas that flock to the city in search of better prospects. Take for instance the man who committed the foul act on the day before Christmas. He had come to the city to learn how to drive so as to get a job. Since all jobs, private or government, is in great demand, jobs are not easy to come by. And since everybody needs money, this need had made the man commit a crime even to the extent of not caring how many people are killed in the process to assuage his need. What made the tragic situation more tragic is that a human life was taken for a mere Rs 60, giving rise to the thought that human lives are becoming less and less precious with each passing year because of the pitiful economic condition of the state. The crime rate of the state during the last few years or so is positively frightening when one considers politicians' statements which points to a tranquil state free of crime and insurgencies. Incidents, however, prove how wrong this concept is and one must, however reluctantly, admit that allegations of opposition parties that the law and order situation in the state is deteriorating are true. While the blame for this must go to the department that looks after the law and order situation, one must take into consideration the constant interference from the powers that be with the police personnel who have to but obey them. Politicians and bureaucrats need to distance themselves from police work for the police to be really effective. And the separation of the judiciary from the executive would be the first step towards this. The ministry, therefore, needs to tackle the law and order situation from two angles - the bifurcation of the judiciary from the executive and the short and long term economic upliftment of the people. If these are tackled and the police work is not under interference from influential people, a marked change in the law and order situation would soon be seen, bringing the state towards goal of becoming an exemplary state for the rest of the country.
|
|
|
| editorial. | 05/01/04 |
A New Year and a New Government
If anything could be auspicious, then nothing would be more auspicious than a new year starting with a new government in a new millennium and a new century. This is what the people of Mizoram are getting and there is everything to hope for in the 21st century beginning from 2004 if the leaders that have been recently elected are worth their salt. However, if the short democratic political history of the state is anything to go by, any hope materialising into form could be an unreachable aspiration. It is, therefore, imperative that leaders have a more clear-cut view of the whole situation in the state and where they are leading the people. If earlier examples are followed, as has been the practice, the state will always remain in a deadend situation where there is no scope for the masses to aspire for better conditions.
Last year, the people had given their mandate to the MNF party again in the hope that this party's ministry would continue the projects they have started and bring about the fulfilment of the promises they had made which they ostensibly had no time to do so. Many promises remained undelivered during the five years of the MNF's last rule and as the Congress are wont to say, 'they did many things they promised not to do'. Since development is to be the priority of the new government, the term development should be an all-encompassing term which would look towards the development of not only the land, but of the people. And in this sense, the people should also include the masses and not just the cadres from the MNF party. If such lopsided developments as seen in the last term is seen again this time too, the people will be bogged down by hopelessness which could mean more lawlessness, taking peace and prosperity further away than before.
|
|
|
| Copyright © 2002 Newslink |
| |
times