Congress president Sonia Gandhi will address a public meeting at Tura on Saturday, while NCP chief Sharad Pawar is arriving in Phulbari on Wednesday.

In a whirlwind tour by chopper on Wednesday, Mr Pawar, accompanied by Tura MP PA Sangma, will address election rallies at Phulbari and Mahendraganj before going to Tura for a night halt. He will address a public meeting at Jengjal the next day before leaving for Guwahati.

Meanwhile, State Police have tightened security measures in Tura ahead of the arrival of Mrs Gandhi. Besides, units of Special Protection Group, which looks after the security of prime minister and his family and the Gandhi family, are already in the town to assess the security scenario.

According to official reports, after addressing an election rally at Tura, the UPA Chairperson will depart for Jowai, the same day.

In the run-up to the previous State elections, she had addressed a public meeting at Resubelpara in Garo Hills. However, Congress candidate and former Chief Minister Salseng C Marak had lost the seat to NCP's Timothy D Shira.

The BJP, which is contesting a number of constituencies to make a stronghold in Garo Hills, has roped in its national president Rajnath Singh to tour the plains belt region.

Mr Singh will first address a public meeting at Tikrikilla on Friday, a day ahead of Congress president Sonia Gandhi's visit, before moving on to Phulbari and Mahendraganj.

Earlier, election to the constituency in South Garo Hills was countermanded following the death of Congress candidate and sitting legislator Sengran M Sangma on Saturday last.

The Commission has fixed March 4 as the last date for filing of nomination, which, of course, is meant only for the Congress nominee.

According to Joint Chief Election Officer S Kharlyngdoh, candidates of other parties and Independents need not apply again.

Scrutiny of the nomination will be held on March 6 while last date for withdrawal of candidature is March 7.

Already, seven candidates including the deceased legislator filed their nominations for the constituency.

Speaking at a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr Sangliana, who is currently heading the party's poll campaign in the State, said, "BJP is not anti-Christian as levelled by our political adversaries. I am a Christian, but I preferred to join the party knowing that it is secular and clean."

Lamenting over the "rampant corruption" in the region "where majority of the politicians are Christians", Mr Sangliana urged the people of Meghalaya to give his party a chance to prove its performance.

"If BJP's elected representatives are found not to be fit, corrupt or immature, then people can throw them out in the next elections," said the former super cop, who had led several operations against sandalwood smuggler Veerapan.

He also claimed that his party had made the country as well as the North-East advance in many spheres during its four-and-half-year rule. He dared the Congress to prove its claim of achievements in the region.

He also held corrupt politicians, police officers and bureaucrats responsible for the rising insurgency in the region.

But what change and in which direction? When the rural voters speaks of change he/she wants a better life through better agricultural policies, better health care, greater access to education, more livelihood opportunities and creation of basic infrastructure. While it is commonplace to hear the city-bred elite talk about development, it is seldom that one hears the rural voter define development. When asked what his idea of development is, M Shabong a resident of Pynursla says, "If I am uneducated but my children are now able to attend school, that is development for me". An elderly lady eking out a livelihood from selling broom-sticks says sheepishly, "Development means that I can get a better price for my broom and that I fix the price not the mahajon who buys it from me'. This is the grouse of the farming community - that it is the buyer who fixes the price for their products.

In Maroid village, approximately twelve kilometers from Mairang, NCP candidate Dr Bibylinda Wahlang addressed a well-attended meeting in the late evening where more women than men listened attentively to her speech. A medical doctor by profession, Dr Wahlang is pitted against sitting MLA Boldness Nongrum and business tycoon Metbah Lyngdoh of Rani Motors fame. Having spent a dozen years of her life as a doctor serving the people of Mairang including the distant village of Kynrud, Dr Wahlang knows exactly where the shoe pinches the poor villager. Her priority is to improve health care because this impinges especially on women in their child-bearing years. Wahlang says she joined the NCP because the party has a clear road map for improving agriculture and for employment generation.

In distant Dienglieng which has been represented by Martle Mukhim for the past twenty years, poverty is stark and visible. Much of the welfare work in Mawkynrew and Sohryngkham Blocks are serviced by World Vision, a para-church organization which has adopted 62 villages in both Blocks. Dienglieng constituency is under Mawkynrew Block. Villages like Nohron, Dienglieng, Jatah continue to languish without any sing of development. With their limited resources, World Vision has laid out a slew of welfare measures for these villages. They adopt needy children and sponsor their education.

World Vision's idea of uplifting the villages is through women's thrift and credit societies or self help groups (SHGs) by providing drinking water study materials in schools. With a view to promoting livelihoods through agriculture World Vision has provided poly-houses for cultivating 

high value crops like capsicum, tomatoes etc. The SHGs are now engaged in tea cultivation, tailoring and embroidery. Sadly the sitting MLA of Dienglieng Martle Mukhim has done precious little for his people. But except for a few young people the rest of the constituents seem contented with their lot as if they are destined to remain poor.

An ignorant electorate is what candidates love to perpetuate. The more ignorant and poor the voters the more they succumb to money power. Since there is, as yet no organization which has taken on the responsibility to enlighten the voters they continue to wallow in hopelessness. Candidates promise them the moon and leave them high and dry immediately after the election results are declared. The fact that Martle Mukhim held a ministerial berth for five years hardly made a difference to his constituency.

So what change can we envisage after March 8, 2008 when the next Government is formed? People are familiar with the Congress-UDP-MDP-KHNAM combine. They have all felt let down by this coalition. So is there a possibility for change? In not a few villages, people have begun to look at the NCP to bring in change. They know that the NCP too will have to work with other parties but they hope that with PA Sangma with his vast political experience at the helm they can expect a change for the better.

While the regional parties have been floating the 'NCP is a Garo party' rhetoric, NCP candidates are confident that their party alone can provide good governance. Meanwhile the business community comfortable with the Congress culture of paying money and getting their jobs done are in a tizzy. What happens if the party does not return to power?

The business fraternity are however not the only ones in suspended animation. Quite a few government officials particularly PWD engineers are known to back their favourite candidates. A certain executive engineer who literally and metaphorically is the Congress fund collector and disburser is busy campaigning. His work as a technician is a secondary activity. Those who are irked by this person's open political links say that any other Chief Secretary would have fixed this guy. But Mr Ranjan Chatterji prefers to look the other way. It makes other conscientious government employees wonder why they have such delicate scruples.

Change will not come without some hard work on the part of conscientious, enlightened citizens. But where are those conscience keepers? There is no doubt at all that the rural voter is caught between the devil and the deep sea. Should they accept money and vote for someone else seems to be their biggest dilemma. It remains to be seen how those candidates without money power handle this challenge.

Compared to other District Councils, there are only three MDCs from Jaintia Hills who are contesting the Assembly elections this time. They are former JHADC chief Moonlight Pariat (NCP) from Jowai, Richard S Lyngdoh (UDP) from Sutnga Shangpung and EC Boniface Bamon (NCP) from Nartiang.

In Khasi Hills, the MDCs who are in the fray for the poll are former KHADC chief Hispreacheringson Shylla (Ind) from Nongkrem, Donbok Khymdeit (UDP) from Mawhati, William Mynsong (Cong) from Jirang, Ronnie V Lyngdoh (Cong) from Mylliem, Bindo M Lanong (UDP) from Malki-Nongthymmai, Sanbor Shullai (NCP) from Laban, Founder S Cajee (Cong) from Mawlai, David Kharsati (UDP) from Sohryngkham, Stormding Thongni (Cong) from Nongstoin.

Futher, the sitting legislators cum MDCs who are in the fray are Martle N Mukhim (MDP) from Dienglieng, H Donkupar Roy Lyngdoh (Cong) from Sohiong, Khan Khongdkhar (Cong) from Nongshken, Prestone Tynsong (Cong) from Lyngkyrdem, Phlour W Khongji (Cong) from Sohra, D Plaslanding Iangjuh (UDP) from Mawsynram, Boldness Nongum (Cong) from Mairang, Bires Nongsiej (UDP) from Mawkyrwat and Irin Lyngdoh (Cong) from Pariong.

In Garo Hills, the candidates are sitting legislator-cum-MDC Clement Marak (Cong) from Selsella, Wenison Marak (Ind) from Chockpot, Dolly K Sangma (Ind) from Mendipathar, Brigady Marak (UDP) from Bejengdoba, Mrinal Marak (NCP) from Tikrikilla, Josburdin A Sangma (Ind) from Dadengiri, Purno K Sangma (NCP) from Rongram, John Leslee K Sangma (Ind) from Tura, Pangseng R Marak (NCP) from Dalu and Saleng Sangma (Cong) from Dalamgiri.

In yet another case of violation of election code of conduct, a Mahindra Jeep (ML10 8707), belonging to Pynthorumkhrah BJP candidate, AL Hek was seized by the police for mounting public address system for electioneering purposes in the vehicle on Tuesday and as many as eight vehicles were seized in Jaintia Hills for violating the code of conduct.

According to East Khasi Hills Returning Officer B Dhar, the Election Commission of India has introduced a law in January 2007 last restricting use of public sound system for electioneering on vehicles as these caused immense disturbance to the general public.

"Though the vehicle has the required permission for putting of flags," Mr Dhar said adding that the vehicle would be release after the completion of the election process.

Mr Dhar also informed that the State Election Department would take up stringent measures to prevent any untoward incidents during the electioneering.

A minor clash was also reported during a common platform meeting recently for which the Election Department immediately decided to restrict such joint meetings of political parties to prevent break down of law and order, Mr Dhar said.

Further, the Department has decided to bar holding of car rallies by any political party for electioneering in the district, particularly in Shillong, as traffic police in the city face undue difficulties to contain the already congested traffic.

Though the State Election Commission had earlier allowed political parties to take out car rallies, particularly mentioning that there should be a distance of 200 metres after every three vehicles, it was an uphill task for the traffic police to impose the order, he said.

Complaints were also received that some candidates have pasted their posters on telephone and electric posts in Pynthorumkhrah locality, Mr Dhar said adding that the police have been directed to verify the complaints.

If the complaint is true, a case would be registered against the concerned candidate, Mr Dhar said.

Our correspondent from Jowai reports: Jaintia District police seized eight vehicles belonging to different supporters of various political parties in Jaintia Hills District on Tuesday.

The eight vehicles were seized after they were found fluttering parties flags without getting official permission.

The seized vehicle includes a Scorpio, belonging to an NCP candidate from Jowai, one Alto, belonging to UDP candidate, also from Jowai, a Bolero of a UDP candidate from Nangbah-Wahiajer, a Jeep of INC from Nartiang and one Maruti Gypsy of the UDP from Sutnga.

KHNAM has reconstituted its unit at Sohiong constituency and elected the office bearers. Shanbor Diengdoh was elected as president, Dlan Kurbah and Thiwanstar Mawlong as vice presidents, Synshar Langbnang as general secretary besides other secretaries and two advisers - Mebansan Lyndem and Robert F Kharbuki along with 27 other members. A public rally of the party will be held on Feb 29 at Sohiong where KHNAM president Paul Lyngdoh will address the meeting.

The WMYU had alleged that Mr Tynsong misused the MLA Schemes in the constituency as per the documents received by the organisation from the Pynursla Community Development Block through an RTI.

Reacting strongly to the allegations here on Tuesday, Mr Tynsong informed that he had even lodged a police complaint against the members of the organisation and threatened to go to court if the members of the organisation failed to substantiate the allegations made against him.

"It was surprising that the organisation has sought information about the implementation of MLA schemes in the constituency only from Pynursla Block despite the fact that two other Blocks - Mawkynrew and Laitkroh Community Development Block are also under Lyngkyrdem constituency," Mr Tynsong said.

The PHE Minister also asserted that the allegations of misappropriation of funds under his MLA scheme only proved that the organisation had failed to collect all the facts and figures before coming out with such "fabricated" allegations.

The amount sanctioned to the Pynursla Community Development Block from the Special Rural Works Programme (SRWP) in the in the past four years, Mr Tynsong informed that an amount of Rs 30 lakh was sanctioned in 2003-2004, Rs 33.30 lakh in 2004-2005, Rs 41.50 lakh in 2005-2006, 44 lakh in 2006-2007 and for 2007-2008 there is no sanction as yet.

The amount sanctioned from the Community of Rural Road Project (CRRP) Schemes to the Pynursla Block in the past five years, he informed that Rs 2,48,571 lakh in 2003-2004, Rs 2,11,479 in 2004-2005, Rs 2,10,000 in 2005-2006 and there was no sanction for 2006-2007 and 2007-2008.

In a statement issued here on Tuesday, these organisations claimed that some of the schemes mentioned in were "misleading and incorrect" and ascribed it to an ulterior motive.

A joint press conference was also held at Jhalupara Community Hall on Tuesday that was attended by NGOs like Jhalupara Council, Cantonment Ex-servicemen Resettlement Association, Gorkha Pathsala Higher Secondary School, Mawprem Citizens and the Dorbar Shnong of Upper Mawprem.

Upper Mawprem Rangbah Shnong Hamboy Shullai pointed out that the "Ardhendhu Chaudhuri Charitable Trust" had members in the Managing Committee only from one community and that too only from Rilbong area.

CERA general secretary Anand Thapa was flabbergasted upon finding "rampant anomalies" in the various sanctions shown to be granted to his organisation in the booklet.

JVC general secretary R Gurung pointed out that the amount of Rs two lakh shown as sanctioned for construction of community hall was not received by the organisation.

When contacted, secretary of "Implementation Committee for 22-Mawprem", Mr Pinak Gupta said "every case has been taken to provide correct and factual position of the schemes sanctioned."

He said the allegations are "politically motivated and vague and not specific", therefore, it is not possible to respond.

"Their malafide intention is obvious instead of seeking clarification from us, they rushed to the media for achieving their political ends," Mr Gupta remarked.

Mr Gupta said the desperate attempt to find fault with MLA schemes merely betrayed frustrations of the Congress, which was "already a sunk boat" in the constituency.

All individuals including the media, can approach Shillong Municipal Board for removing misgivings, if any, on any aspect of the schemes sanctioned, he added.

A meeting was organised by the Seng Samla Mawlai Pyllun (SSMP) on Tuesday in which all candidates including Process T Sawkmie (UDP), Founder S Cajee (Congress), Shingly Nongkhlaw (KHNAM) and Gregorius Kharnaior (LJP) attended while Mrs Celestina Lamin (NCP) was conspicuous by her absence.

However, despite the agenda set by the SSMP for discussion of peaceful electioneering, the meeting was more or less like a common platform for candidates attending the meeting to express their views and agendas for the election.

Sitting legislator and UDP nominee Process T Sawkmie claimed that during his tenure a representative from the constituency, he has been trying his best to develop Mawlai.

It may be mentioned here that earlier, both Mr Sawkmie and Mr Cajee had engaged in a verbal duel during scrutiny of nomination papers.

With election around the corner in Meghalaya, understandably there will be worry as to who will administer the state in the next five years. This anxiety is even more intense because over the last few elections, we have been witnessing one of the most dreaded diseases that have affected the common population in the state. This deadly disease is being infected into the society through the political candidates who appeal for votes once in five years. The horror of corruption and bribery or the use of money to win votes during election by the politicians has extensively contaminated a large majority of the common population.

The corruption of the politicians in five years of their stay in power has come to haunt the state especially during elections with such money being distributed back to the mass during electioneering. Such mal-practices is extremely difficult to check or control because there is no party or individual that does not resort to such practice, knowing well that this is all they got to offer to the people after their colossal failures in five years. The question that any one would ask then is that: why is it that people fall prey to such a menace? Should they be blamed? The answer to both the questions is that while on the one hand people have fallen prey to such anti-social elements thanks to the lack of ideological clarity in all the parties contesting election even after nearly four decades of statehood and over one century of what is known as Meghalaya being on the political map. In such a scenario it is not the people who are responsible but the political leaders who have provided opium to the people to slumber away so that they can easily rob the state without much of people's awareness against certain policies and ideological bankruptcy which is detrimental to the whole society.

The complexity of the issue of money power in the election leads us to another question as to who started such dangerous practices that is infecting the state today? In such a scenario where the class division has started becoming more and more visible, and where the upsurge of middle class is increasingly dividing the society into that of the rich and the poor, one cannot underplay the role of the national parties like that of the Congress, NCP, BJP, etc., who have used such practice right from their very early stage of existence. However, while pointing our fingers on them it is also right to analyse the lack of clear ideological positions by all the state-level parties in Meghalaya. This argument can be built from past experiences. After the attainment of statehood, we have not seen any significant ideological positions by any of the state level parties except one of flip-flop stands of- 'who should get what and how much?-' after such contradictions are solved, other important agendas get the back burner. This is easily understood from the way every regional party plays its role in the formation of the government throughout the history of Meghalaya statehood and their struggle to get major portfolios in the Cabinet. We also need to critically analyse the way in which the Congress Party tries to dismantle the regional vision by co-opting all the regional parties right from the first government of the state till today in the coalition politics in order that they can always get an upper hand in the affairs of the state.

Another important factor responsible for such electoral malpractices is the role of the burgeoning business houses and especially the role of MNCs who, like in other states, are taking full control of the state machinery. Therefore, in making sure that their allies win the election, they go to any extent at the cost of the general public being at the receiving end. The more painful issue is the fact that no sensible individual or intellectual or even so called patriarch is daring enough to question their menacing role in exploiting the process and therefore harming the poor masses who still have much to expect from the state authorities for favourable policies.

Mr. JD Rymbai's removal from the chief minister's chair by his party high command on the ground being a 'Mr. Clean' is a matter of shame to all the citizens of the state and the soft position taken by all the political parties in this regard is extremely alarming. However, in this regard, the role of the private investors in influencing the state's legislators and other civil societies is extremely cruel. A similar example of the victimisation of the CEM, who while articulating his party's actual position on the issue of uranium mining in the state (even at the cost of his life being threatened), is just a very minute indication of the larger danger that awaits the people of the state if we are not sensitive enough to respond effectively through this democratic process of election, to such legalised anti-social elements working in our society through such political parties, who have ruled the state time and again even at the cost of antagonising people to the extent that till today the wounds have not been healed.

Again, in such issues, our own regional parties have to take the responsibility for going soft on the Congress and corroborating with its high command (as if it is theirs) and with which they have always been partner in the government formation. Till date, none of them have had the courage to come out openly why they supported the overthrowing the ex- Chief Minister and thereby putting back the person whom all of them had dumped once on the ground of being a 'dictator' with only self interests. No one, so far, has even dared to raise the actual underpinning issues and bring it to the public domain as to why he was removed? Can people have a doubt if we assume the fact that all of them benefited from it and it had cost Meghalaya dearly because while on the one hand, the MNCs are getting into the state very easily and without proper clearance through bribing and on the other hand, the state was bound to sponsor state's elections in UP, Punjab, Gujarat, etc.? Furthermore, the regional parties stand on the issue of uranium mining, is also one of flip-flop. What is more alarming is the fact that all regional or state-level parties collaborated with the so-called Congress high command vision for the people of Meghalaya, otherwise they will lose their golden seat. Therefore, in the whole process of electioneering, one is reminded of the old basic agenda that the regional parties versus the national parties had once fought- national development with a regional outlook versus regional development with a national outlook- in which case the people had some choices before them -either to choose for a party with a vision for the local people or for national interest even at the expense of the local population. Even such ideological distinction has deliberately diminished. In such a case there is hardly any degree of difference between the regional or national parties.

If one further interrogates into this issue and the role of the civil society, one also start smelling some faults even in these civil society who apparently raised their voices against such corrupt means of winning elections. While participating in the electoral process the question that one ought to ask each other is, how fair has the process of electing our representatives been? Are these civil societies really sincere enough in making these appeals to the public not to be carried away by money vendors? Or is it that most of these civil societies would like to have an elephant share from the electoral process? If that is not so, then the questions that one should ask the current Social movements in the state is that, why is it that even after nearly forty years of statehood, none of these civil societies in Meghalaya has clearly demarcating visions for the people? Why is it that in most of the crucial issues, it is these social groups which usually first get corrupted thereby changing their positions or never standing firmly to what they feel is important for the society?

With the state of affair in such a condition, accompanied with the lack of distinct ideology that is expected from any political players in the state, one foresees the deeper sinking of the state if the common people are not politically educated to effectively participate in the democratic process at least once in five years. With the rise of the young population in the state, it is again disturbing to see that none of the parties are actually interested to effectively mobilize them or rather; all the youth are disgusted with all the political parties. This is basically due to the lack of promises or vision they see in any political party. Therefore, with the younger population withdrawing themselves from the affairs of the society, the society can hardly groom young people for future leadership based on certain ideological paradigm and the most dangerous of all is the state's dependence on individual personality who will find it hard to sustain in the struggle for power with out any political positions and therefore, in the long run, be of no benefit for the whole state.

Finally, with all the underpinning issues during this election, the people of Meghalaya are left with very difficult responsibilities to fulfill in the process and as we said from the beginning, with money pressure being constantly put on them, this election is even more crucial for the state and its future. This election will be also important for all of us to analyse the value of democracy and what it means to the poor and ignorant masses. (The author is a research scholar, JNU, New Delhi)

Democracy without education, an eminent political scientist has concluded is hypocrisy without limitation. It is not known if he coined the adage in the contemporary Indian context. However, it is very much the ground reality in our country today. The wily Indian politician is accountable to no one. He is playing havoc with the system and the rule of law, without any check or restraint.

Simply put, democracy is a system of checks and balances. The moment the checks are removed, imbalance results. Thus, democracy is reduced to a mere form, devoid of meaningful content. Periodic elections are the mode of selecting our representatives to reflect the people’s hopes and aspirations in the legislature. The real content of democracy is the day-to-day governance of the nation by the ruling politicians, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws framed under it.

Some recent events give cause for concern. In theory, all elected Ministers are supposed to take the oath of office to preserve and protect the Constitution. In reality, they twist and turn the Constitutional norms to subserve their political agenda to perpetuate themselves in power. Take the case of the Union Health Minister. He is positively sick. And like all elected Ministers, he wears two hats. He is not only a member of the Union Cabinet but is also a member of a political Party.

In his case, a regional political Party with a singular casteist agenda. Having appointed himself as the Chairman of a premier health research institute in the country, he violates all basic Constitutional norms. A Minister in a democracy heads a department and provides policy inputs. According to Article 53, all executive action of the State is exercised in the name of the President and is carried out by "officers" subordinate to him.

The day-to-day administration of the department is carried out by the permanent secretary who is a neutral civil servant, with no political affiliation. It is not the Minister’s task to personally administer; he is neither trained nor qualified to manage institutions and organizations. Clearly, the Union Health Minister has violated democratic norms by appointing himself as the Chairman of a public institute. The inevitable consequence has been that the AIIMS has been thoroughly politicized.

Another serving Minister in the Union Government is openly pushing for reservation of jobs on caste lines in the private domain. This is unconstitutional and all the more unfortunate as a Minister is under oath to preserve the Statute. Such reservations are a policy matter, having grave Constitutional ramifications. It is not known whether the policy has been advised by her ministry, after examining all the pros and cons of the issue. It does not appear to be so, as the Constitution does not authorize the Executive, of which the Minister is a part, to regulate private employment.

Another Union Minister, who is supposed to be entrusted with developing human resources is similarly pushing a casteist agenda. Ostensibly, the measure has been proposed in the name of "social justice" but it is actually to perpetuate the Minister in power. In the bargain, the civil society may well be permanently fractured on caste and class lines.

Besides, it may tamper with the Constitution and affect the fundamental rights of the citizens. But this appears to be of no concern to the Minister. It is similarly not on record if the step has been advised by his ministry after examining the proposal and its Constitutional implications. It is also not on record if the move, sprung overnight on the civil society, has the authority of the Cabinet behind it.

The aforesaid are just some instances of our ruling politicians’ total disregard for Constitutionalism and the rule of law. These are extremely dire portents for the long-term prospects of a healthy democracy in India. As it is, by carrying out more than 100 amendments to the Constitution, in a span of less than 60 years, the politician has reduced the Constitution to a mere caricature of its original form. As a result, the citizens’ fundamental rights are being insidiously eroded. It would be worthwhile to contrast the position in the world’s oldest, most stable and vibrant democracy under a written Constitution. Not even two dozen amendments have been carried out over almost a century and a half of its working.

These are just a few instances of the ruling politicians’ virtual non-accountability to anyone in reality. Conceptually, members of the Cabinet are accountable to the Parliament. But today the Parliament is hardly functioning to its optimum capacity. The disruptions in its working are so frequent and persistent that ministerial accountability hardly exists.

It is in this context that the civil society at large should wake up and ponder on the enactment of an Indian Bill of Rights based on the U.S. model. Recall that the enactment of the first Constitution in the world, the American, was preceded by a Holy Covenant drawn up by its people. They reserved to themselves certain basic rights of man like the Right to Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness. They declared that these are inalienable, sacred rights, which the Supreme Creator has endowed all citizens in a free society.

These rights are not the gifts of the legislators nor are they granted by any act of the legislature. Hence, these are beyond the reach of the politicians. The U.S. civil society thereafter elected ruling politicians, essentially their temporary delegates, not to award them but to "secure these basic rights" with the device of a written Constitution.

In the absence of a Bill of Rights for India, the fundamental freedoms and rights of the citizens are under serious threat from the wily politician. Till these rights are protected and secured, the citizens will not be able to breathe easy. --- INFA

Sir

At the outset I would like to say that I am not an ardent admirer or an observer of any political drama in our state primarily because of the fact that I know clearly well that our legislators do not usually put into practice their proclaimed promises at the time of their election campaigns.

However, on February 10, I was stuck to my seat and glued to the television set watching the telecast of the special Session of the KHADC. I was amazed to see the dynamic and articulate HS Shylla fighting a solitary verbal battle in a partisan House. I am not at any point trying to perceive Mr. Shylla as one who deserves to still hold on to his seat and position as CEM of KHADC nor am I trying to overlook the various allegations put forth against him. My only concern here is in seeing in him a man who is literate and who has knowledge of the rule and the law and one who very skillfully utilised the law in the debate. Mr Shylla's deliberation in accordance to the various sections of the law is highly commendable as opposed to a bunch of his opponents except for Mr Ronnie V Lyngdoh, Mr Prestone Tynsong and Mr Massar, with the latter two only delivering a few words. In the midst of this heated debate the candid cameraman panned his camera on one member who was busy mixing sada (khleh khoini), a majority almost dozing off to sleep with one member yawning to his heart's content. It seems as if they were oblivious of the importance of the session or they were fully aware of the stark truth and reality of the matter but are too much in love and attached to their chairs and its perks, so prefered to take a back seat.

I'm not here to dwell on the minutes or details of the session of KHADC but I would like to take this medium to appeal to our people to choose wisely and choose a qualified and as much as possible a literate representative to the legislator. We should not compromise for a low profile contender nor should we go in for a sort of hooligan leader who would just open his mouth and speak rubbish without knowing a single line of the law just because he/she happens to be on the side of the majority.

In other words I would say that we need many representatives to lead our state, our people and our future generations as the likes of Mr. Shylla who does not spare to call a spade a spade at the risk of losing his chair. Mr Shylla's weak point at this juncture happens to be that he is fighting for his own seat as AICC has fielded Mr Waibhah Kyndiah, son of the veteran Congressman, Mr. PR Kyndiah against him. We would like to see that the dynamism, the ability to be vocal and the spirit to fight according to the rule of law would be present in all our representatives who would be elected in the upcoming election. This depends on people whose constitutional right must be utilized intelligently and correctly. What I appreciate in Mr Shylla is his knowledge, his intelligence and above all his fighting spirit, which he demonstrated according to the law.

Yours etc.,
Jenniefer Dkhar
Shillong-4.
Via e-mail

"You know that only the Congress party has started talks with the terrorist groups in North-East to bring them to the mainstream of peace," Dr Singh said while addressing an election rally at Udaipur, 55 km from here.

"We have succeeded in bringing back some of the militant outfits in the path of peace."

He added: "Since the UPA government came to power at the Centre, it has been trying to connect all the northeastern states by road, rail and air."

The UPA government has allocated Rs.25 crore to Tripura to connect all villages in the state by roads, he pointed out.

The Prime Minister said that the Congress was the only party that "cares" for the well being of the northeastern region.

Tripura will go to assembly polls on February 23.

Like Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Dr Singh too appealed to the people to oust the CPM-led Left front government and vote the Congress to power in Saturday's polls. Gandhi had addressed two election rallies in Tripura Monday.

The Congress has a pre-poll alliance with the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) and the Party for Democratic Socialism (PDS).

"Time has come for a change in Tripura," Singh said, adding that if Congress comes to power the new government would make all efforts to remove the difficulties of people.

"It is a serious concern that a small state like Tripura has more than 500,000 unemployed youths and the state government did not take any efforts to set up medium and major industrial units in the state."

Referring to the 750 MW power project, for which he laid the foundation stone in October 2005 at Palatana, five km from the meeting venue, Singh said that the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) had already started work to commission this mega project.

Dr Singh also explained how the UPA government has provided huge financial assistance to Tripura in health, insurance, women's development besides improvement of tribals and other backward communities.

Coming down heavily on the Left Front government said that the number of unemployed youth has already crossed 5 lakh and the figure is alarming for a small state like Tripura.

"The Congress will try its best to address problems like under-development, security and employment generation if it is voted to power in the coming Assembly elections," he said. (IANS & Our Correspondent)

The National Conclave of North Eastern States for Access to Justice to Women of the Region saw members of the legal fraternity, social activists and students of the northeastern region emphasising that it's time one realizes that all the eight states of the region cannot always be clubbed together.

"It's high time people understand that all the eight states of northeast India are very different from each other. So it's natural that the problems faced also differ from one state to the other and needs to be handled accordingly," said Roland Krishing, district member secretary of the Manipur State Legal Services Authority.

"There is always a tendency to club the eight states - Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura and Sikkim - under one head, the northeast, even by the centre. This approach needs to change," Krishing told IANS.

Similarly Meenakshi M. Rai, registrar general of the high court of Sikkim, said that its time all the eight states are looked at independently and not just clubbed together.

"True, we are a part of the northeast India but then each of the states with their large number of tribes are different from each other, be it in their language, culture or tradition. The problems that each state faces is also different from each other and therefore, the solutions should also be specific. (IANS)