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INSIDE
Volume 07 | Issue 42 Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020 Price `10 Are the people of Assam aware of the scrapping of section 66A of IT Act, 2000?
AYODHYA Its tryst with History
Why is the proposed EIA draft causing heartburn to NE environmentalists, concerned citizens?
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Centre Spread Pages 08-09
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Pandemic, flood Is the new state onslaught leave BJP office bearer post
Assam’s flower farmers in dire straits Barasha Das @Barasha_mi2
With hundreds of bighas of flower plantation destroyed, the floriculturists in and around Guwahati are struggling to survive. Are Guwahatians still buying flowers?
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a tradeoff for the
potential 2021 ticket seeker? G Plus News @guwahatiplus
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he Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has recently appointed its office bearers afresh. Today, it even announced the names of the state spokespersons. These activities are clear hints that the BJP is gearing up for the upcoming 2021 assembly elections as early as this August. However, a clean sweep for the ruling BJP in Assam does not look like a cakewalk as many of its own party members seem to be upset with the party. The move of appointing the office bearers for three years 2020 – 2023 is being construed by political observers as a stunt to reduce the numbers of ticket aspirants. A source in the state BJP revealed that office bearers are expected to dedicatedly work for the party and not contest. The source said, “According to the BJP high command in Delhi, office bearers are not expected to contest because the work of entire party is entrusted on them and they cannot work in their own bastions for wooing the voters.” The source said that once an office bearer is appointed it is understood that during the tenure he/she won’t be able to contest. There are some names in the
list of the office bearers that were doing the rounds as probable party ticket seekers. But now, their luck seems to have run out if they were at all desirous to contest. Jayanta Mallah Baruah, known as a close associate of a prominent BJP leader, was a member of legislative assembly (MLA) from Nalbari before the 2016 elections while he was in the Congress Party then. After he joined BJP, he did not get the party ticket to contest in 2016. He might have been expecting to get an opportunity for the 2021 elections but now he has been appointed as the state vice president (VP) of the party. Dr. Rajdeep Roy from Silchar, Tapan Gogoi from Jorhat and Pallab Lochan Das from Tezpur are Lok Sabha MPs and all three of them have been appointed as state general secretaries. While already being MPs they might not have any aspirations for contesting the forthcoming assembly elections but if at all they were harbouring such dreams, those look shattered now. There were permutations that Rupam Goswami might be an aspirant from a prestigious seat in Guwahati but as with the other office bearers, if he did have any such aspirations, the situation now looks difficult as he has been appointed as the
chief spokesperson. Political observers have been calculating that Taranga Gogoi is also in the race from Namrup but he has been appointed as an office bearer now. The other names which are in the new office bearers list are Dr. Hem Prabha Borthakur (VP), Bijuli Kalita Medhi (VP), Rekha Rani Das Boro (VP), Swapnanil Baruah (VP), Ratan Teron (VP), Palak Gohain (VP) Jayanta Kumar Das (VP), Rajkumar Sharma (Treasurer), Diplu Ranjan Sharma (secretary), Kishore Upadhaya (secretary), Krishnamoni Chutia (secretary), Lucy Roy (secretary), Sukumar Biswas (secretary), Akoni Devi (secretary), Benu Dhar Nath (secretary). Some more names are there in the list of the BJP morcha. Today (7th August) the state BJP president Ranjit Dass also appointed some party spokespersons who have to dedicatedly work for the party. Queen Ojha (Lok Sabha MP), Janki Khaound, Biswarup Bhattacharjee, Aswani Pait, Ramkrishna Ghosh, Pramod Swami, Manoj Barua, Lakhya Konwar, Phani Pathak, Pabitra Margherita, Subhash Dutta, Hemanga Thakuria and Suranjan Dutta were appointed as party spokespersons.
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2 Lead Story
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
Are the people of Assam aware of the scrapping of section 66A of IT Act, 2000? Assam Police bluntly denies allegations of continued arrests under Section 66A by the Assam government. Kareng Phukan @guwahatiplus
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n recent times screening of people’s social media accounts by government agencies has become almost a norm. Often, the government has been seen publishing warnings, urging people not to post false news, information, articles etc that might lead to ‘untoward’ situations. At times, the government has openly mentioned about screening of social media accounts to keep such offenders at bay. In Assam, mostly since the movement against the Citizenship Amendment Act started back in December 2019, the privacy safeguards of citizens’ social media accounts from the government agencies has been questioned. Quite often the government has warned that
any infelicitous post found may lead to the account owner facing uncomfortable consequences. Many have been arrested as well. Reportedly, most people who have been arrested for such acts of airing their opinions online have been done so under Section 66A of the Information Technology (IT) Act, 2000. But what is most shocking is the fact that the above mentioned law, under which most of such arrests have been or are made, was scrapped by the Supreme Court of India (SC) back in 2015. A recent post circulating on social media in this regard has gone viral. The Supreme Court struck down the controversial Section 66A that made posting “offensive” comments online a crime punishable by jail, as unconstitutional on the grounds of violating Freedom of Speech guaranteed under Article 19 (1)(a) of the Constitution of India.
Representative Image
List of other offences and the corresponding penalties under Section 66 of the IT Act, 2000 Section 66
Offence
Description
Penalty
Hacking with computer system
If a person with the intent to cause or knowing that he is likely to cause wrongful loss or damage to the public or any person destroys or deletes or alters any information residing in a computer resource or diminishes its value or utility or affects it injuriously by any means, commits hack.
Imprisonment up to three years, or/ and with fine up to ₹500,000
66B
Receiving stolen computer or communication device
A person receives or retains a computer resource or communication device which is known to be stolen or the person has reason to believe is stolen.
Imprisonment up to three years, or/ and with fine up to ₹100,000
66C
Using password of another person
A person fraudulently uses the password, digital signature or other unique identification of another person.
Imprisonment up to three years, or/ and with fine up to ₹100,000
66D
Cheating using computer resource
If a person cheats someone using a computer resource or communication.
Imprisonment up to three years, or/ and with fine up to ₹100,000
66E
Publishing private images of others
If a person captures, transmits or publishes images of a person’s private parts without his/her consent or knowledge.
Imprisonment up to three years, or/ and with fine up to ₹200,000
66F
Acts of cyberterrorism
If a person denies access to an authorised personnelto a computer resource, accesses a protected system or introduces contaminants into a system, with the intention of threatening the unity, integrity, sovereignty or security of India, then he commits cyberterrorism.
Imprisonment up to life.
What is or rather ‘was’ Section 66A? Section 66A of the Information technology Act, 2000 stated: Punishment for sending offensive messages through communication service etc: Any person who sends, by means of a computer resource or a communication device (a) any information that is grossly offensive or has menacing character; or (b) any information which he knows to be false, but for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred or ill will, persistently by making use of such computer resource or a communication device; (c) any electronic mail or electronic mail message for the purpose of causing annoyance or inconvenience or to deceive or to mislead the addressee or recipient about the origin of such messages, shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years and with fine. Explanation: For the purposes of this section, terms ― electronic mail and electronic mail message means a message or information created or transmitted or received
on a computer, computer system, computer resource or communication device including attachments in text, image, audio, video and any other electronic record, which may be transmitted with the message.
What did the SC observe while scrapping this Act?
The controversial section was struck off in 2015 as a result of the Shreya Singhal versus Union of India, writ petition (criminal) case no. 167 of 2012. The Hon’ble bench observed: (a) Describing liberty of thought and expression as “cardinal”, the SC observed. “The public’s right to know is directly affected by section 66A of the Information Technology Act.” (b) Elaborating the grounds for holding the provision “unconstitutional”, the court said that terms like “annoying”, “inconvenient” and “grossly offensive” used in the provision are vague as it is difficult for the law enforcement agency and the offender to know the ingredients of the offense. (c) “What may be offensive to a person may not be offensive to the other.” However, less than a year of scrapping the controversial
Lead Story
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
section by the SC, The Hindustan Times reported on 2016 that more than 3,000 people were arrested under the section in 2015. In fact, in 2015 alone there were 3,137 arrests under Section 66A which in 2014 was 2,423. In the last five years, many such arrests have been made. The SC has, time and again, expressed shock at it still being in use and have upheld its decision till date.
Right to freedom of speech and expression
Right to freedom of speech and expression is every Indian’s fundamental right. In every democratic state, this is considered every citizen’s biggest right and most powerful weapon. As per Article 19 (1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, every Indian citizen can express his/ her opinion freely and in public, be it on academics, society, culture, economics or even politics. People do have the right to discuss and opine openly on the various government policies, discussions and schemes. But as per Article 19(2) of the Constitution, “Nothing in sub clause (a) of clause ( 1 ) shall affect the operation of any existing law, or prevent the State from making any law, in so far as such law imposes reasonable restrictions on the exercise of the right conferred by the said sub clause in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security of the State, friendly relations with foreign States, public order, decency or morality or in relation to contempt of court, defamation or incitement to an offence.” As per the order given by the
Supreme Court of India, any restriction imposed against this fundamental right must be reasonable, proportionate and means of resolving the issues against the freedom of speech and expression must be uncomplicated.
Allegations of arrests in Assam under Section 66A
Given the continued arrests in the state under this nonexisting Act, G Plus reached out to people who have been vocal on the issue. They informed that most police personnel or stations aren’t aware of the scrapping of Section 66A. They continue to threaten and arrest people who mostly post derogatory opinions or remarks against the government, police and administration on social media, as most people themselves aren’t aware of the same. Many a time, people being critically vocal against government decisions are also arrested. Biswajit Choudhury, advocate of Gauhati High Court (GHC), speaking to G Plus said, “Often people in power were found to have misused the Section 66A for their own vested interest. Even in current times, the section is being misused. The People’s Union of Civil Liberties have filed a petition against the section still being in use and the SC had also issued a notice to the central government in
this regard in 2019. Due to lack of proper knowledge about the scrapping of this section amongst police officials and people alike, many are still undergoing punishment under this section.” “To victimize those who are particularly vulnerable especially students and those who belong to weaker communities like Rajesh Gorh of North Lakhimpur who was arrested under similar circumstances for forwarding a social media post three years ago is a clear strategy to quell all dissent by making an example out of such cases. This sounds the death knell for democracy,” stated Upamanyu Hazarika, senior advocate of Supreme Court in a press release dated 22nd July, 2020. Nabadeep Borpatragohain, advocate GHC, speaking on the issue said, “Since 2014-15 the expression of people’s opinion on Facebook has increased manifold. Along with other issues, politics is also discussed freely given that even the political parties are also equally active across social media platforms with their own IT cells. I truly believe that the action of the police and administration are often influenced by the
political parties. Also derogatory posts on social media are ever increasing. We have seen social media movements on the rise, be it for Dehing Patkai, CAA, release of Akhil Gogoi from jail etc. In recent times, many cases have been registered against people for posting on social media. I would like to ask the police and administration as to how often they have taken action against such culprits of untoward posts, mostly against the government, police and administration by themselves, without political backing. Has any case ever been registered against political parties for similar untoward posts?”
Assam Police’s stand on the allegations Harmeet Singh, ADGP Assam Police, denying all allegations of arrests made under Section 66A, told G Plus, “Assam Police has not arrested anyone under Section 66A. That clause of the IT Act was scrapped by the SC but the other clauses still remain. We did arrest people under the other clauses but never under a clause that no longer exists.” “People need to prove that with proper reference. If anyone points out to us any such case
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Quite often the government has warned of dire consequences against infelicitous posts. Reportedly, most people who have been arrested under section 66A of IT Act. Police threaten and arrest people who post derogatory opinions. But 66A was scrapped by the Supreme Court of India (SC) back in 2015. Police personnel aren’t aware of the scrapping of Section 66A, claim advocates. with case number and other details, proper action will be taken against the officers concerned. I will definitely look into the matter myself,” Singh added.
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enowned educationist Dr. Amaresh Dutta passed away at the age of 101. He breathed his last at his Dibrugarh residence. He was suffering from age-related ailments. He was conferred with the title of Professor
Emeritus and the honour of Saraswat Sanman for his contribution towards literature. Dr. Amaresh Dutta was a scholar of Shakespearean literature and a former lecturer of Dibrugarh and Gauhati Universities.
Janasanyog No. 1449/20
Educationist Dr Amaresh Dutta passes away at 101
4 Cover Story
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
Pandemic, flood onslaught leave Assam’s flower farmers in dire straits From page 01
“
I have four kathas of land on which I cultivate flowers. My village has around 70 bighas of flower cultivation. We have been doing this business for the last 20 to 22 years. This year we have lost everything,” lamented Ratan Das. Among other claims to fame, Guwahati is known for its temples. And true to this claim, Guwahatians are a religious lot. Dawns in Guwahati break with the flower vendors or ‘phoolwalas’ roaming around the city in their cycles, distributing flowers to the households and the temples for the daily religious rituals. They are a part of every household, leaving a package of assorted flowers in the early morning at the doorsteps, even before the newspaper vendors start their distribution. But this regular practice has suddenly stopped. The reason... lockdown! Guwahati, a city filled with concrete edifices, cannot produce the amount of flowers that it needs. And so, given its daily requirement, villages in the proximity of the city cater to this need, cultivating flowers and distributing them. Every morning, hundreds of flower vendors enter the city at the break of dawn, go around their respective areas of distribution and return to their villages by the afternoon. Where do they come from? Where do they get so many flowers?
A few kilometres away from the city is a village named Bardadhi located in Hajo Tehsil of Kamrup District. Come winter and spring, the village acquires a character of its own. Its fields - bighas at a stretch - are coloured in hues of orange and yellow by the flowers that spring up. Imagine a sight of 70 bighas with marigolds blooming. Apart from the seasonal flowers, there are the hibiscus (joba) and the crape jasmine (kothonda) that bloom the whole year round. And not just the fields, travelling through the village roads, one gets the feel of passing through alleys of flowering bushes. However, this village now has a different look altogether. The flowering bushes that took years to mature mostly lie dead now. The marigold fields are now cultivated with rice crops, but all are in deep water. Showing the now dead gardens, Ratan Das, a cultivator said, “I used to make a profit of Rs. 8000 to Rs. 9000 per month from this flower business. It took years for these bushes to mature. Now all are dead. We started the year on a bad note. The lockdown started and we could not sell the seasonal flowers. Last season’s marigold cultivation... all are wasted. I couldn’t even earn back the cost of cultivation.” “We were hoping to do some business after the lockdown gets over, but the floods have destroyed years of hard work. Firstly, we could not work in the fields, so the plants were left without care, fertilizers etc.
And then the Puthimari river embankment broke. After the first flood, the second wave destroyed everything completely,” he continued “Now if there is no more flood this year and next year, we can plant anew next year. But that will take again 3 to 4 years to bloom for business. We have moved back by 6 to 7 years now,” Ratan sadly added. The lockdown has partially opened. Ratan, along with the rest have started travelling to Guwahati with whatever little they could gather. But a new problem awaits them. Firstly, the travel expenses have doubled. Earlier, a round trip that cost around Rs. 60 in buses, now cost more than Rs. 120. Secondly, the lockdown has taught people (read customers) to cut down on regular expenses. While a few have taken to gardening themselves, others have adapted to doing religious rituals without flowers. “Our customers are not taking the daily flowers; they have asked us to stop giving till the pandemic is over at least. Also, many daily wage earners like the drivers and others have taken to collect flowers from around the city and distribute those. So we have lost customers to them as well. We have nowhere to go,” Harekrishna Kalita, another flower cultivator from the same village lamented. “We spent our savings within the first two months of the lockdown. Now we are left with no money. Living in the rural areas, we have enough to
survive, at least most of us. With the earnings from the flower business we tried to provide better life and education to our children. Now online classes are being conducted. Many do not even have a proper android device. Had we had our savings, we could have bought one for our children’s studies,” he further added. Being in Guwahati every morning, summer or winter, sun or rain, these flower vendors are an integral part of the city’s daily life. They provide for the flower requirement of every religious institution, from Kamakhya Devalaya, Sukreswar Devalaya, to the small road side makeshift temples. On special occasions like Bihu, Puja, the Sharavan month when people celebrate ‘bhole bum’, the requirement of flowers increase manifold. However, this year, none were celebrated. “We are hoping the pandemic will end soon, it’s a one-time thing. But the flood batters the villages every year. We urge the government to rebuild the embankments properly and permanently. Another necessity is regular transport to and from Guwahati. We request the government to provide with some immediate relief as this year all have been lost and we cannot even expect the coming puja season to be any different,” said the vendors. While the village of Bardadhi lost its lustre to the pandemic and the flood, they are not the only ones. Many other neighbouring villages which have been cultivating flowers are now left
The village of Bardadhi has lost its flowery lustre to the pandemic and the floods. Around 70 bighas of flower plantation destroyed in floods. Last season’s marigold cultivation.... all wasted. Flower farmers, popularly called ‘phoolwala’ have been left with no savings. They have lost customers to unemployed youth who have taken to distribution of flowers in their absence from the city. Daily transportation to and from charges have doubled amidst the lockdown. with none or with very little. Yet, the villagers enthusiastically invite travellers to visit their fields the coming winter to gaze at the mesmerizing views of the blooming fields they hope to cultivate with renewed vigour.
Covid-19 Update: Assam crosses 15,000 active cases mark Nehal Jain @NehalJain96
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ith 1,332 more COVID-19 patients being discharged from different hospitals and COVID care centres in the state, Assam now stands with 15,464 active cases as on August 6. The same day, Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also announced 2372 new cases of coronavirus. “Alert ~ 2372 COVID cases detected out of 55671 tests in last 24 hrs. Positivity rate4.25% Kamrup (M) - 470, Nagaon 197, Cachar - 163, Dibrugarh - 128, Tinsukia - 122, Jorhat - 104,” he tweeted. The total number of COVID-19
positive cases in the state has now gone up to 52,817, with active cases exceeding 15,000 for the first time. A total of 37,224 persons have recovered from the viral disease so far. Further, three persons have migrated to other states while the death toll has reached 126, with five people succumbing to the virus on August 6. “Five more #COVID patients have succumbed to their infections today ~ Late Asab Uddin (50) & Late Sentulal Saha (70) of Karimganj, Late Manuranjan Paul (63) of Dibrugarh, Late Ram Surat Gowala (77) of Tinsukia and Late Dhiren Kalita (55) of Kamrup Metro,” informed Himanta Biswa Sarma. As Assam continues to register
thousands of new cases every day, the Assam government has been strengthening its fight against COVID-19. In pursuit of containing the spread of COVID-19 infections in Assam, approximately 50,000 tests are being carried out every day. Meanwhile, Assam has been able to maintain a low positivity rate consistently with the latest being 4.25% on August 6, Thursday. India on Thursday recorded it’s worst-ever spike of 62,538 case in a single day. With this, India’s tally of total cases has crossed the 2-million mark to now stand at 2,030,001. The death toll has soared to 41,627. Maharashtra has recorded its highest single-day spike of 11,514 COVID-19 cases. Its tally now stands at 4,79,779.
Nasal swab being collected for Covid test in Guwahati | G Plus photo Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh is inching closer to the 200,000 mark; it has added over 10,000 fresh cases for a second day in a row.
Globally, as many as 19,257,726 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 infection so far. While more than 12,345,472 have recovered, 716,519 have died.
In The News
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
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EXPLAINED Why is the proposed EIA draft causing heartburn to NE environmentalists, concerned citizens? Barasha Das @Barasha_mi2
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rganisations, environmentalists, politicians and normal concerned citizens! Indians from across the country are protesting against the draft Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) 2020 that was released on 12th March by the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC). Although the ministry had invited public suggestions and opinions before finalizing the draft, people are literally fuming over the draft EIA 2020. Even as the last date for submitting suggestions – 11th August, 2020 - is nearing, organisations and activists are urging people to stage protests over the draft. Even social media is outraged with the issue. In Guwahati, the NGO, Save Guwahati Build Guwahati (SGBG), has appealed to all of the northeastern states to protest against the draft EIA that has been claimed to be detrimental to the fragile ecology of the northeast by experts. Also, many other organisations including the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and environmentalist Saumyadeep Datta of the environment NGO, Nature’s Beckon have taken a similar stance. Padma Shree Ajoy Dutta, vicepresident of SGBG, speaking to G Plus said, “With powerful lobbying in favour of the draft, it is very important that the northeast is united in its opposition to the draft EIA. At least the northeastern region must be kept out of the ambit of proposed amendments to the EIA.” Saumyadeep Datta said, “The government has asked for suggestions from the citizens of the country and we have also presented our opinion. I believe rather than taking sides, all should come together for a discussion. And the people of Assam must be made aware of the draft.”
So what is the EIA notification?
There is already a prevailing Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) Notification 2006 under the Environment (Protection) Act, 1986. Its main objective is to identify, predict and evaluate the economic, environmental and social impact of development activities and to promote environmentally sound and sustainable development through the identification of appropriate alternatives and mitigation measures. It has provisions for public opinion and hearing of the local experts and concerned citizens before any project is undertaken. The new draft of 2020 is aimed to make modifications and amendments to the existing notification of 2006.
New additions to the EIA:
List of projects under ‘Category B2’ that are exempted from requiring an EIA clearance (Clause 13, sub clause 11) rather than the present screening and clearance needed from Expert Appraisal Committees. Such projects include:
Mining of minor minerals up to 5 hectares of mining lease area
Mining of major minerals including coal - dump mining Offshore and onshore oil & gas including CBM and shale gas, exploration, development and production Hydroelectric projects up to 25 MW on river valley Irrigation from 2,000 to 10,000 hectares of culturable command area Thermal power - 5 MW to 15 MW Nuclear Power or processing of nuclear fuel Coal washeries Small and Medium enterprises of Mineral Beneficiation and Chemical processing of ores/
concentrate, pellet plants Metallurgical industries (ferrous & non ferrous) MSMEs of cement plants and standalone clinker grinding units All acids except phosphoric or ammonia, and sulphuric acid MSMEs in dye and dye intermediates Bulk drugs Synthetic rubbers Medium sized paint units Inland water projects Expansion or widening of highways between 25 kms and 100 kms with defined parameters Aerial ropeways in ecologically sensitive areas. Specified Building Construction and Area Development projects Further, submission of annual reports by the project proponents on compliance with conditions has been reduced from two to one report. Also, people can no more report on violations and noncompliance of conditions during the project. Instead the government will be taking cognisance of reports only from the violators - promoters, government authority, appraisal committee or regulatory authority. However, such projects can be approved with conditions including remediation of ecological damage. Points of objection from the public: The cause of the heartburn
Experts opine that majority
Coal extraction being carried out at a Ledo mine | Representative Image of the projects listed under Category B2 are detrimental to the environment. Questions raised on the new provision of post-facto environmental clearance. Notice period of public hearing on the EIA reduced to 20 days from 30 days; its non- availability in the regional languages. For project expansion and modernisation, only those with more than 25% increase require EIA and others with more than 50 % increase would require public consultation. Given the very recent controversy over Coal India Limited’s illegal mining in Dehing Patkai and the still ongoing fire at the Baghjan well of Oil India Limited, both of which have led to major environmental degradation, people of Assam have raised their voice over the draft EIA notification. Ajoy Dutta said, “Many states of India including the entire northeast, Uttarakhand, Himachal and J&K will be affected. Our forests are already disappearing. The hills are
broken down for tea gardens; quarrying, timber factories are exploiting our land already.” “The government says it’s for development of industries, but most of the indigenous industries are already dead. About 30 years back Guwahati had so many industries like Everest Cycles Ltd in Kalapahar, Kumar Iron and steel in Zoo Tiniali, Assam Asbestos, then India Carbon, Assam Carbon, Assam Hardboard, Ashok Paper Mill and many other such factories in Chandrapur and in and around Guwahati. What happened to those?” he continued. “We do welcome industries but those should be done on barren lands, not by destroying nature. All states must be united for the protection of the ecology and mostly for the interest of the northeastern region. We are not against development,” Dutta added. “The present EIA of 2006 could not do much to prevent the damages caused by the industries and projects across the country. The present draft was formulated to make the necessary modifications and people should provide their opinions and proper discussions must be done before finalising the notification,” Saumyadeep Datta said.
6 In The News
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
Assam sculptor makes Sita Haran statues for Ayodhya Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan G Plus News @guwahatiplus
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ssam sculptor, Ranjit Mandal, has crafted scenes from the epic Ramayana in Ayodhya. He has sculpted idols to depict scenes from “Sita Haran” for the upcoming Bhoomi Pujan ceremony which will be held on August 5 in Ayodhya. The statues he makes are perfect for a lifetime, he believes, as they are not made of ‘conventional’ Plaster of Paris or Cement. His statues have mortars and iron rods which make them strong. Each scene has five to six characters and sometimes even more. There are about 40 scripts that depict significant events in the life of Lord Ram which Mandal has been carving out at Ayodhya for the last seven years. Right from Putrasthi Yagna to Rajya Abhishek, Mandal has been assigned to create the Ram Katha Kunj at the Ram Mandir, which is exquisitely being created to be used for the Bhoomi Pujan of the
temple on August 5. Ranjit Mandal, who hails from a small village in Cachar, Assam called Ramkrishna Pally had been assigned the task to create the Ram Katha Kunj by the international working president of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Ashok Singhal, to showcase Lord Rama’s life in a creative way. Ranjit did his post-graduation in drawing from Awadh University and played with clay and earth throughout his childhood. He has crafted statues for many places in Guwahati such as the Shankaracharya at Ved Vidyalaya and statue of Ved Vyas in the city’s Rupnagar Area. In 1997, Singhal saw and appreciated Mandal’s work displayed at the Gandhi Mela and invited him to Ayodhya. By the year 2005, Mandal had already made 1,25,000 statues of Lord Rama which had been distributed throughout the country and 10 other countries across the world by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad. In 2006 in Silchar, Singhal asked Mandal to get involved with the Ram Katha Kunj.
Ranjit Mandal (R) and his sculptures Prime Minister Narendra Modi will offer prayers and lay the foundation stone at the temple in Ayodhya, where he will perform
groundbreaking rituals for the Ram Temple. Barricades have been placed to allow entry of only those who
have received security coded invites. Around 175 guests only will be allowed to attend the ceremony.
Is the new state BJP office bearer post a tradeoff for the potential 2021 ticket seeker? From page 01
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t needs to be mentioned that the ruling BJP in Assam conducts a survey to check the prospects of ticket aspirants prior to giving the party ticket to contest. The same will happen in the 2021 assembly polls. The party has already launched a massive feedback generation exercise pertaining to the MLAs across 124 assembly constituencies out of the 126 assembly constituencies of the state. According to media reports, the state BJP president, Ranjeet Kumar Dass, had said that once the party finalises the aspirants and sends the same
to central leadership, a survey on the aspirants is conducted. The survey tries to study the prospects and performance of the aspirants. The BJP in Assam is preparing a report card of all the MLAs including its own, which will be handed over to party president JP Nadda. Assam BJP today has lobbies sprouting up within it. Levelling serious allegations against a top party member without taking a name, BJP legislator from Hojai, Shiladitya Dev, recently had said, “There is one person in the party who roams around with a bag and will destroy the BJP in Assam soon.” He added that the person he is talking about has become so powerful that he can get
anybody killed at any time and this has forced him (Shiladitya) to take the crucial decision of retiring from the party. He would however serve out his term as the MLA. Dev had also alleged that the state BJP is today divided along three camps or factions - each headed by Sarbananda Sonowal, Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Ranjit Dass. If there are any rifts or lobbies in Assam BJP it will be eventually known which lobby’s members got the maximum tickets to contest the polls. But these lobbies might also throw a spanner in the works on the party’s ambition to make a clean sweep and get its target of 100 seats in the Assam Assembly in 2021.
Jayanta Kumar Das
Jayanta Malla Baruah
Rupam Goswami
Taranga Gogoi
Health
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
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Vector-borne diseases: The long standing, perennial threats of Assam Rifa Deka @dekarifa
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longside the Novel Coronavirus Pandemic, the state of Assam also seems to combating other major problems like floods, landslides and erosion. To make matters worse, the Japanese Encephalitis season has arrived putting the healthcare infrastructure of the state under severe pressure. Among some common vector borne diseases apart from the Japanese Encephalitis disease are Chikungunya, Dengue, Rift Valley fever, Yellow fever, Zika Virus and West Nile fever which are all viral diseases whereas Lymphatic filariasis and Malaria are parasitic infections. These diseases are spread mostly by three types mosquitoes which are the Aedes mosquitoes, Anopheles mosquitoes and Culex mosquitoes. The Lymphatic Filariasis is one disease which is spread by Aedes, Anopheles and Culex mosquitoes.
Some common vector borne diseases in Assam
JAPANESE ENCEPHALITIS Japanese Encephalitis is a viral disease that affects the Central Nervous system and is transmitted by infective bites of female Culex mosquitoes. Symptoms of Japanese Encephalitis include headache, fever, meningeal signs, disorientation, coma, tremors, paralysis, hypertonia, loss of coordination, etc. Mosquitoes infected by the virus spread this zoonotic disease
to humans. Mosquitoes that spread this disease usually bite during dawn and dusk and human beings are accidental hosts and dead end of the chain. Japanese Encephalitis has a 14% mortality rate which is 60 times higher than COVID-19 and its natural hosts arewater birds like herons and egrets. These birds transmit the disease to pigs who amplify the virus and pigs maintain prolonged viraemia (presence of virus in blood). There is no specific cure; intensive supportive therapy is indicated for this disease. This viral disease is a perennial problem in the northeast along with annual floods. 30,000 to 50,000 cases of JE are reported each year from Asia. This disease cannot be transmitted from one person to another meaning it is not contagious. CHIKUNGUNYA The Chikungunya disease is a non-fatal viral illness caused by the Chikungunya Virus from the family Togaviridae, genus Alphavirus. It is spread by mosquito bites which start with high fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, joint pain and rashes. The first case of Chikungunya was reported in Assam in 2008 and subsequently affected Meghalaya. Presence of potential vectors in the region poses northeasterners serious threat from disease. DENGUE Dengue fever is another deadly disease which is spread by Aedes mosquitoes. Its symptoms include high fever, headache, rash and muscle and joint pain. In severe cases there can lead to serious bleeding. Aedes mosquitoes breed in clean stagnant water collected in and around the house.
Snippets Gauhati University to resume classes for Final Sem students from September 1
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auhati University is all set to restart regular classes for final semester students as per proposed Government guidelines issued by the Commissioner and Secretary of Higher Education, Assam for reopening of degree colleges from 1st of September, 2020.
As per a notice from Gauhati University Registrar’s Office, 4th semester students pursuing Post Graduation courses and 6th semester students in their Under grads along with 6th semester LLB students and 10th semester
students of BBALLB, BALLB and BComLLB will return to the university from September 1. Hostels of the University will also reopen on September 1 and UG exams will begin from September 22. Commencement of PG examinations will follow soon after, from September 25. The plan, however, is subject to changes in case of changes in directives by the University Grants Commission (UGC). The controller of examinations of Gauhati University will publish detailed notifications regarding conduct of examinations soon.
Dengue vectors usually rest in corners, under furniture, dark clothing, etc. These mosquitoes bite between 8 to 10 am and 3 to 5pm. Human beings are their most preferred hosts. MALARIA Malaria is another potentially life-threatening parasitic disease caused by parasites known as Plasmodium. This disease is transmitted by the infective bite of Anopheles mosquito and its symptoms include recurrent fever with chills and headache. 15 million cases of malaria with 19,500–20,000 deaths are reported annually in India, according to a World Health Organization (WHO) report. India contributes 77% of the total malaria cases in Southeast Asia. Two types of parasites Plasmodium Vivax and P Falciparum are what cause the disease in India. Malaria is widespread in tropical and subtropical regions and prevalent during and after the rainy season due to mosquito breeding. PREVENTION
Representative Image In order to prevent vector borne diseases and respond to any outbreaks promptly, it is essential that vector control programmes are re-aligned with supported technical capacity, improved infrastructure, strengthened monitoring and greater community mobilization in Assam and across the Northeast
region. Another crucial element that reduces burden of vectorborne diseases is behavioral change. Public awareness vital so people learn how to protect themselves and their communities from mosquitoes, ticks, bug, flies or other vectors by ensuring that they keep their surroundings clean and hygienic.
Here are some common vector-borne diseases that we know of along with the types of pathogen that cause these diseases Common vector-borne diseases Vector
Classification
Disease
Type of Pathogen
Mosquitoes
Aedes Mosquitoes
Chikungunya Dengue Lymphatic filariasis Rift Valley fever Yellow Fever Zika
Virus Virus Parasite Virus Virus Virus
Mosquitoes
Anopheles Mosquitoes
Lymphatic filariasis Malaria
Parasite Parasite
Mosquitoes
Culex Mosquitoes
Japanese encephalitis Lymphatic filariasis West Nile fever
Virus Parasite Virus
Preventive measures for some common vector-borne diseases Disease Japanese Encephalitis
Symptoms
Preventive Measures
Headache, fever, meningeal signs, Vaccination (for JE) disorientation, coma, tremors, Use of Larvicides paralysis, hypertonia, loss of Sensitization Programs coordination
Chikungunya
High fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, Community Surveillance joint pain and rashes Fogging
Dengue
High fever, headache, rash and Use of Long-Lasting Insecticidal muscle and joint pain and bleeding Nets (LLINs)
Malaria
Recurrent fever with chill and Use of Fish in Tanks that Feed on Insect Larvae (Guppy fish, headache Gambusia fish, etc.)
8 Centre Spread
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
Ayodhya from the history books Ayodhya was originally an ancient city mentioned in the early Sanskrit texts like the Ramayana and Mahabharata. Ayodhya was the capital of Ikshvaku kings, one of whom was Lord Rama. Some other ancient texts depict present day Ayodhya as a fictional city called
Saketa which was renamed as Ayodhya around the 4th or 5th century.
Significance of Ram Janmabhoomi Ram Janmabhoomi is the birthplace of Lord Rama who is believed to be the 7th avatar of the Hindu deity Vishnu. As per the epic Ramayana, Rama was born on the banks of river Sarayu in a city
called ‘Ayodhya’. The exact site of Rama’s birthplace is where the Babri Masjid once stood in present day Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh and which is now the site of the Ram Temple that is being built.
The Babri Masjid The Babri Masjid was built in Ayodhya by Mir Baqi on receiving orders from the first Mughal emperor, Babur. The mosque was located on a hill known as Ramkot and a section of the Hindu community claimed that the
Mughals had destroyed a structure (shrine) marking the birthplace of Rama (Ram Janmabhoomi) to build the mosque.
The Demolished Hindu Shrine It is said that a Hindu Shrine that marked the spot of Lord Rama’s birth was demolished by the Mughals and a mosque was constructed in its place. Excavations done by the Archaeological Society of India gave ample traces that there was
a mammoth pre-existing structure underneath the mosque. The Babri Masjid-Ayodhya dispute has been an emotional issue for decades and was mired in a slew of legal suits involving Hindu and Muslim religious groups.
Ram Mandir (Ram Temple) Ram Mandir is a Hindu temple that is being built at the pilgrimage site of Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya of Uttar Pradesh, India. Although the doors and pillars are being carved in Ayodhya, the sanctum sanctorum needs to be built, with great detail, where Ram Lalla, the deity will be placed and worshipped. A total of 212 pillars will be required across the temple. It will be assembled in two stages
with 106 pillars each. Almost half of the pillars are ready while the other half are yet to be carved. The assembly of pillars will take place in two tiers with the top tier having a roof. The proposed structure will be 128 feet high, 140 feet wide and 270 feet in length with 5 entrances: Singh Dwar, Nritya Mandap, Rand Mandap, Pooja Room and the all important ‘Garbh Griha’ with parikrama.
Many a dynasty have come and gone b story to narrate and its own
Rifa Dek @deka
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
but this divisive holy city has its own n iconic chapter in history
ka arifa
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Major events or the Timeline of Ayodhya 1528: Babri Masjid is constructed at the site that is believed to be the birthplace of Lord Ram 1885: Mahant Raghubar Das files a suit seeking permission to construct a Ram Temple at the disputed site. Appeals rejected amid fear of riots 1934: Mob damages the structure which the British soon repair. Muslims continue to offer prayers while Hindus worship at the Ram-Chabutra and Kaushalya Rasoi. 1949-59: Lord Ram’s idols planted inside central dome of Babri Masjid. 1961: Sunni Waqf Board files suit claiming ownership of site. 1984: Vishwa Hindu Parishad launches campaign to construct Ram Temple. 1989: Vishwa Hindu Parishad lays foundation of Ram Temple in the land next to the Mosque after having received permission from government. 1990: BJP President, LK Advani, launches Rath Yatra from Somnath in Gujarat to Ayodhya demanding construction of Ram Temple. (Gets arrested in Samastipur, Bihar in November) 6 December 1992: Babri Masjid demolished by hundreds of kar sevaks 2002: Allahabad High Court orders Archaeological Survey of India to excavate the site for evidence/traces of old temple remains 2003: Archaeological Survey of India finds presence of a temple underneath the mosque 2010: High Court rules that disputed land be divided into three parts – Ram Lalla Virajman, Sunni Waqf Board and Nirmohi Akhara. 2011: Supreme Court stays Allahabad High Court order. 2017: LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Uma Bharati and Vinay Katiyar charged with criminal conspiracy against Babri Masjid demolition case. 2018: Supreme Court rejects plea for review of 1994 Farooqui Judgement 2019: Supreme Court sets up a five-judge Constitution Bench to hear the land dispute case and lists Ayodhya title suit judgement for November 9 9 November 2019: Ayodhya disputed site goes to Ram Janmabhoomi Nyas, Muslims to get alternative land 5 August 2020: Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays the foundation stone at the Bhoomi Pujan event at the Ram Mandir site in Ayodhya.
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10 G Talk E
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| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020 T
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Stretch it by an hour
he timings of the current Unlock plus the weekend lockdowns have given rise to a new spate of problems for the Guwahatians it seems. Especially, the latest notification that allows opening of bars (read regular hangouts that Guwahatians had once patronized) has amplified the Guwahatians’ problems of prioritizing their chores; cramming in everything within the tight time-frame of 10 am to 5 pm so as to reach home for the scheduled 6 pm curfew has become a huge task; the bars better remain closed as Guwahatians have no time for them literally. Chores to be completed within 10 to 5 normally include ‘bozaar’, hair-cuts, LPG cylinder pick up, purchasing medicines, filling up the petrol tanks, paying electricity bills, bank work, buying booze, post office et al and amidst all that most importantly, attending office such that it is to the satisfaction of respective bosses who also perhaps are going through the same rigmarole as any other hardworking Guwahatian. Phew! The Guwahatian has never been so spoilt for choice with so much to do between 10 and 5, Monday through Friday. Those passion-filled bar visits are not going to start under these Unlock conditions whether the favourite bars
are open or not. In one word, life under Unlock is pretty ‘tough.’ Easing it up to more practicable levels has become a necessity and this basically depends of the administration and one gets the feeling that shaving off one more hour from the curfew timings in the evening should do the trick. It is quite understandable that the administration is trying its best to continue spreading the message that staying at home is equivalent to staying safe. However, being home has its own challenges especially when the Guwahatian has to juggle his time to ensure that he or she is working and at the same time ensuring that there is food on the table every day with a successful ‘bozaar.’ A convenient extra hour for ‘bozaar’ up to say, 6.30 pm would go well with the current situation. As it is, most Guwahatians have learnt the art of shopping for the essentials online or over phone. Picking up the stuff from the market without crowding post office hours is what would make a happier Unlock. A little stretching of the Unlock timings – by one hour - would stand everyone in good stead; hope the administration realises this. Swapnil Bharali (Editor) @swapnilbharali
Day time Drinking
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lthough a little strange, but I guess I understand why the administration decided on opening up bars in Guwahati after keeping their doors remaining shut for over 5 months. What has caused the commotion among owners and potential customers is the timing set by the admin. Bars would be allowed operate between 10 am to 5 pm. Now 10 am is a time where people are in their offices and 5 pm is a time when people are headed back home from work; and if I stay at work until 5 pm, when do I get to drink? Let’s be clear, I don’t think that the administration is trying to promote “day-time drinking.” That privilege is reserved for the entitled bureaucracy anyway. This move is purely to excite business owners and citizens about things returning to normal. Otherwise under normal circumstances we’d not be shutting down bars and liquor stores at 5 pm. The administration does not consider us mature enough to handle our liquor anyway. There is a narrative about this move being a ploy by the administration to have bars renew their licenses on the pretext of being “open” and make an extra buck in the process. But I guess nobody is really going to vouch for this. And the ones cribbing about this decision are the set of people who choose to ignore “life in the new normal” and are finding it difficult to move on. I get it, Corona is THAT ex-girlfriend! The next normal would be to reduce the curfew hours and allow businesses to remain open for longer, and thus step into the “new normal.” In any case, 10 am to 5 pm is a universally accepted time to get rid of hangovers so that you can get back on the horse by 10 pm, but since that’s not happening, let’s train the body for some day-time drinking.
Sidharth Bedi Varma @sid_bv
WFH for Tour Operators
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he travel industry, for one, has been decimated. Gravely wounded and lost in the ruins, it has been alternately appealing for help and looking at ways to adapt and reboot to a ‘new normal’ – wherein we accept that the Corona virus will be with us for a while yet. Even after lockdown restrictions are totally lifted, quotidian life as we knew it, will be a challenge. Moreover, as we have learnt from countries which had flattened and declined the infection curve and are now dealing with ‘second waves’, strict safety protocols are the only way with which we can tide thought his health crisis. Given this, work from home has perforce become the mantra. Industry titans, corporate bigwigs et al, while devising new ways to adapt and keep the economy engine running, have ensured that work from home is at the heart of it all. Google and Microsoft have arranged for upgraded teleconferencing engines to make work from home (WFH) convenient. Companies like TCS are even planning to let much of their staff work from home permanently, meaning forever. Of course, industries like travel and hospitality cannot go down this road. But with the world transforming like never before and technology giving us many solutions, our businesses and our lives can be changed to conform with a new world order. The first can be in terms of occupying physical office spaces. These spaces, once status symbols and an indicator that you were not a fly-by-night operator, have been, for quite some time, a thing of the past. Covid-19 has only brought this fact into sharp relief. Today, other than the physical journey, the sightseeing, experiencing and hospitality, everything is virtual. Technology and the internet are making it easier to be in touch with clients,
O pinion Arijit Purkayastha
agents and even employees. All one needs is a cell phone, a laptop and an internet connection. Then there is Skype, Teamviewer, G-talk, Zoom, video-conferencing and what have you... So, while awaiting government succour, travel companies in Assam and the other northeastern states can probably live through
this income-less crisis – at least to some extent – by reducing overheads such as office rent and electricity. Moreover, since sunrise and sunset timings in the northeast happen earlier than mainland India (in winters, dusk is between 4.30-5.00 pm), work from home will greatly ease evening rush hour due to current curfew norms. Work from home will not only keep employees safe but also reduce stress and time of travel to office, thereby ensuring work efficiency. As of today, the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and Assam State Tourism Department mandates that to function as a tour operator (domestic/inbound), one would have to possess office space of least 100 sq ft/ 150 sq ft/200 sq ft among other rules and regulations. According to Clause 12 of the Union Ministry guideline: “Details of office premises, whether located in commercial or residential area, exact office space in sq ft (at least 150 sq ft for rest of India and 100 sq ft for hilly areas which are located above 1000 meters from sea level) and accessibility to toilet and reception
rAn unwarranted narrative
area” have to be submitted “for approval/renewal or extension as an approved domestic tour operator (DTO).” Again, one among the several instructions for registration as a tour operator under Assam Tourism states: “The licensee shall possess and maintain fully furnished office with adequate staff to attend to the needs of the customers. The minimum office space should be at least 200 sq ft. Besides, the office should be located in neat and clean surroundings and equipped with telephone, fax and computer/ computer reservation system etc. There should be sufficient space for reception and easy access to toilets.” These directives held great import at a point in time when we were building a certain service. But now, with markets changing, there is an urgent need to waive off the mandatory requirement of office space for a minimum of one year so that work from home (WFH) can be implemented for existing approved tour operators and those who have been in operation for the past one year. This will not only help the government to monitor and maintain tourism/state tourism department standards of service and quality in the region but also provide relief to financially hardhit tour operators in the present situation. (The author is the Chapter Chairman – North East, Association of Domestic Tour Operators of India. The views expressed in the article are his own)
Letter to the Editor
They are habituated to blaming the whole tree for one rotten mango. Now that the case of Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide is taking a turn against Rhea Chakraborty and her supposed black magic and how she tortured Sushant and destroyed him, it is to be noted that her being a Bengali girl is being raked up. With regard to this, some people are letting loose a narrative on the most powerful platform i.e. social media that “Never fall in Love with a Bengali” or “Never believe a Bengali.” I personally believe that blaming a particular group of people who speak a particular mother tongue is totally wrong because how a person behaves is not influenced by his or her mother tongue but it totally depends on the person and how he or she builds up his or her own personality and behaviour. Also we must not forget that Sir Rabindranath Tagore, Subhash Chandra Bose, Raja Ram Mohan Roy and many infinite other great personalities have brought pride, fame and independence to India. And we never called them Bengali; we called them “THE INDIANS” and even today we take pride in taking their names. Also we should not forget that just like Bihar, Punjab, Assam and Kerela, Bengal is also a proud part of India and has enriched India with its food, clothes, dance and songs as well. Just because one person comes across as bad does not mean we can blame everyone who speak the same language for it. People should understand this sooner than later before the situation spirals out of control. If there are 10 bad people there are 90 good people as well. Neha Singh, Tezpur
Op Ed
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
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Education in India is still exclusive
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he changes in India’s education shows promises but faces numerous accounts of difficulties in making education inclusive and accessible for everyone. The changes that are scheduled to be made through the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 have come after 34 years on the same rigid education system. These changes will have tremendous effect on the children of the nation and we must make it deliverable and the process of implementation must be specially sorted out in order make these changes impactful. India as a state has postulated many structural changes in the public development from 1991. The year 1991 must be specifically marked in order to check the arrangements made
The exclusive rights of education were the sole property of the upper Hindu caste and male dominated. Colonial India saw the increase of missionary education system which has prominently shaped Northeastern India’s education system. for privatization and its impact on public services. The economic changes had deep impact on education which has led to the disparity between state managed and privately managed education services. But it wouldn’t be fair to focus privatization of education as the root cause of exclusive and inaccessible education in India. History of education must trace back from the period of precolonial nature of our society. India’s right over education has always been caste based and class based. The exclusive rights of education were the sole property of the upper Hindu caste and male dominated. Colonial India saw the increase of missionary education system which has prominently shaped Northeastern India’s education system. These schools started out as a sanctuary for theology and spread of Christianity, but the present-
Devdarshan Chetia
Representative Image of a semi rural school of India day missionary schools cater to a middle-class section of the society obsessed with the idea of superiority of English language. India, during colonial period, saw visible changes in education services through Governor General Macaulay. During this period, India saw the rise of bilinguals and contextualizing education which would help British officials in India. English speaking civil servants were produced from Presidencies who would help in creating a bridge between the vernaculars and their rulers. This sense of elitism is associated with civil services examinations even now and its root lies in the education services provided by the colonial rulers. Post-independence India’s education focused on creating range of skilled, technical and service based labour force in order to feed infrastructural development in India. The recommendations of the Kothari Commission have quite a lot of similarities in NEP 2020 such as the 6% of GDP and three language formula for teaching. The new education policy has deep structural changes which would make India with par with education systems in Scandinavian nations and Germany. These countries focus education as public service and they have worked in order to
make their education policies especially higher education accessible and well-funded. India have also taken steps in order to cater education as a public service with schemes such as Mid-day meal, Sarva Siksha Abhiyan and 86th Amendment act making primary and secondary education as a fundamental right under Article 21A. These schemes and amendments have been welcomed and benefited a massive number of marginalized and backward communities but its reach could have been extended to a much larger demography if its implementation was done right. Trends have been seen where primary education for Indian parents enroll children much earlier than recommended and hence the cognitive mismatch derails the child’s development. The drop in enrollment to high and middle school of girl child is a issue rooted deep in our patriarchal values and improper facilities in order to promote enrollment of girl child in rural areas. The NEP 2020 has taken specific goal of increasing the GER to 25% by 2035 which would be appreciated. Dropout rates would be affected by the pandemic too according to the reports of UN where 24 million children would drop out due to economic impacts on their families. Hence, NEP
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goal to ensure enrollment must foresee solutions for the impacts of pandemic on education. The segregation of classes on the basis of 5+3+3+4 is well thought out plan and inclusion of breakfast in mid-day meal scheme will help in incentivizing parents to send their children to school. Vocational zing of education in terms of market demands too, will help in creating a labour force which would be skilled and employed. These draft plans under the Kasturirangan Committee will help in increasing enrollment and employment level of Indian children. Yet we see there are numerous issues in Indian education system such as lack of resources in higher education services, low pupil teacher ratio and degrading quality of education. NEP 2020 does focus on increasing the overall funds on education with 6% of GDP but this was too recommended by earlier commissions and yet weren’t implemented. The exclusive nature of Indian education can be ultimately seen in the imaginary fight between government schools and colleges and private institutions. The source of one’s development hence is thought to be circled down to who has the more “mullah”. Scholarships and fellowships are present in the paper but the economic help for marginalized students never
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arrive. Indian education is having two dimensions - one which is for the elites and upper class which can access any form of education with a guarantee of employment and the other where a skilled labour force is created that usually does not enroll to higher education and opt out doing petty and informal services. The NEP 2020 does address these issues and tries to reduce the disparity through breaking importance of English as the preferred language of educated, promotes vocational courses and infuse economic resource in education. The policy has been appreciated by private institutions and several organizations. There are few apprehensions that the Government must look out for. The policy hasn’t mentioned any promotion of affirmative action for marginalized and backward classes. The shift in the system would be easier for private institutions but not as much for government schools. The centralization by government through a single body of higher education commission of India might impede the evolution of education India. The exclusivity of Indian education will prevail until regulations are placed on private institutions and promotion of accessibility and fund driven policy for state owed institutions aren’t pushed. Teachers from the local level are needed to be trained and they need to be held accountable. The NEP 2020 will definitely change education in India but the question of inclusive and open education, especially for the ones who need it the most, remains. (The author has recently completed MSW (Livelihood and Social Entrepreneurship) from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Guwahati. The views expressed in the article are his own.)
12 Lifestyle
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
Spiritual power of the Mantras W
ords have specific effect on human beings since the days of the early men. As a lullaby can put a baby to sleep, some harsh words can make have sleepless nights. While some words can make us laugh, some make us cry. Words of inspiration can move soldiers during wars and inspire many acts of bravery. Each word has its own sonic vibration energy which has a resonance with us in life. They also affect our mind and the body.
Hindu sages knew the technique of utilizing various sounds for our well beings. The Mantra is nothing but a word or combination of selected words for different uses. It has become so universal that this word has been included in the dictionary by the westerners. One of the earliest known mantra is the “Aum” which is associated with
Hemanta Kumar Sarmah
Engineer, Businessman, Advanced Pranic Healer and Su Jok Acupressure specialist.
the creation of the universe and hence the unison with god. For optimum effect, the seed mantra should be combined with abdominal breathing. Generally it is done with inhalation and exhalation. The mantra is very useful in healing, slowing down ageing process and stress management. Negative vaastu can also be neutralized by regular chanting of appropriate mantras. The effect of mantras does not last forever and so they must be chanted regularly. That is why people have to do Griha Shaanti Puja, Navagraha Puja or Satyanarayan Puja etc every year or after an interval to remove negative energies. There are numerous instances of misuse of the mantras by the shamans, witches or by people having negative intentions. But using mantras for negative purpose will have Karmic effects.
Assam government allows bars to open in Guwahati
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he Excise Department of Assam informe d vide a notice , that restaurants serving liquor now have the permission to open in Kamrup Metro. The order stated that all (Indian made foreign liquor) IMFL “ON” shops would be allowed to remain open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. These Bars and Restaurants have to follow COVID precautionary measures including social distancing and other protocols as guided by the Assam government. Bars had been closed in Assam since the beginning of Lockdown 1.0 in March.
Guwahati Police conducts drive against parking on footpaths
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he Guwahati city police, on August 3, conducted a drive against parking of vehicles - especially two-wheeledon footpaths at AT Road in the city area. Earlier, authorities said that they had allotted 45 parking lots during the previous year (2018-19). A majority of the newly-allotted parking lots are roadside city parking in different areas of the city. Some of these are located along the GS Road, Maligaon, AT Road, Paltan Bazar, and GNB Road among others. Traffic congestion and haphazard parking
have been one of the major causes of concern for Guwahatians for a long time now.
Guwahati among Top 10 hottest cities in India: Skymet Weather
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uwahati city has been listed in the top 10 hottest cities of India as mercury levels continue to rise across the
country. Guwahati has ranked 10th in the list at 38.6 °C. 7 cities of Rajasthan top the list followed by Gujarat and Assam, making Guwahati the only city from the Northeast to make it to the list. Temperatures in Assam’s Guwahati this year seem to be higher than all cities in North and South India as well.
With the arrival of Southwest Monsoons sooner than expected, 2 we e ks be fore the e xpe cte d date of arrival, Skymet Weather has released a list of top 10 hottest cities in India. Skymet Weather Services is a private Indian company that provides weather forecasts in India. The Southwest monsoon is not said to be performing well in terms of cumulative rainfall which is causing unusual hot weather in several parts of India. Notably, Deputy DirectorGeneral of Regional
Meteorological Centre, Guwahati Dr. Sanjay Oniel, speaking to media, said that on August 5, the highest ever maximum and minimum temperatures were recorded in the city of Guwahati ever since a meteorological centre was established in Guwahati way back on 23rd July 1949, which is 70 years ago.
Feature
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
13
From the Riches to the Rags...
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etrospection on the history of human civilization familiarizes us with the inevitable fall of the celebrated kings and leaders who had touched the pinnacle of success and scaled the acme of achievements. The rise and fall of Julius Caesar, Napoleon, the great Byzantine Empire, the Mughal Empire, or the Ahom Kingdom are far too well known to even a casual student of history. Such fall from grace is generally viewed as a natural process of transition and decay proving the good old saying, ‘Old order changes yielding place to the new.’ In trying to find reasons, intellectuals and thinkers have offered logical explanations for the fall from grace and grandeur of reputed organizations, dynasties, celebrated
In trying to find reasons, intellectuals and thinkers have offered logical explanations for the fall of reputed organizations, dynasties, celebrated individuals, etc attributing some of these to the Himalayan blunders committed at the peak of their glories. individuals, etc attributing some of these to the Himalayan blunders and aberrations committed at the peak of their glories. Shakespearean tragedies are a wonderful testament to the ‘fatal flaws’ ingrained in the character of epic heroes that led to their downfall despite being endowed with the best human qualities. General perception since time immemorial has categorically emphasized that it is the character that makes or mars the fate of an individual and the reason for failure does not lie in their ‘stars’! However, the advent of COVID-19 and its associated deadly impact has shattered all these wellfounded, age-old dictums.
Gautam Ganguly
Clive Lloyd’s worlf champions, 1979
Empirical experiences reveal that completely extraneous factors have rendered thousands jobless, homeless and visionless for no fault of their own as a fall out of the Covid-19 lockdowns. In a recent survey conducted by The Economic Times, it was revealed that the Covid-19 pandemic may cause large scale bankruptcies in India with the nation’s GDP continuously going downhill. In fact, experts opine that the Covid-19 pandemic has impacted economies around the world adversely like no other event since the Great Depression in 1929. Tourism and hospitality sector and the aviation sector in India, which saw an unprecedented flurry of activities and burgeoning growth, have fallen abysmally. As per independent reports, arrival of foreign tourists in India stood at a whopping 10.89 million and an estimated 4.2 crore jobs were created in the tourism and hospitality sector alone. Similarly, India was the fastestgrowing domestic air travel market globally. In 2018, 18.6% more people had travelled by air as compared to 2017. Today, total gloom has enveloped these performing sectors. It is being apprehended that nearly four crore job losses will take place in the coming days. Stories of sportspersons taking recourse to vegetable selling et al to sustain their
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livelihoods during this pandemic are in abundance on social media. Digressing from the claustrophobic Covid-19 bickering, a quick glance into the world of sports acquaints us with two appalling stories of downfall from brilliance - from prosperity to bankruptcy or from riches to rags. The recently concluded three-
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test series between West Indies and England has been exciting besides providing relief to the connoisseurs from the Corona scare. The first test match saw the West Indies team clinching a scintillating victory against England raising hopes for its supporters of the restoration of old glory. However, the hope has been short-lived. Time was when the West Indies cricket team was considered the most formidable both in test and one-day cricket. A look at the history from the decade of the 1960s to the early 1980s throws light on the virtual invincibility of the West Indian team that annihilated the opposition teams with remarkable consistency blended with flamboyance. It does not require a lot of cricketing knowledge to assess the strength of a team comprising all-time greats like Sir Garfield Sobers, Rohan Kanhai, Sir Frank Worrel, Wes Hall etc. With the introduction of limited over cricket by the ICC, the dominance of the West Indian juggernaut became more pronounced and imposing. The advent of ‘super cool’ captain Clive Lloyd and the menacingly devastating fast bowlers of the stature of Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Joel Garner and Andy Roberts had made the team into a world-beating
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unit. They won the first ICC world cricket tournament held in England in 1975, followed it up in 1979 and thereafter, the winning spree of the Caribbean team went on unabated till 1983. Ironically, the decline of West Indian domination began with the defeat at the historic final in 1983 when the Kapil Dev led Indian team defeated them in the World Cup final. Thereafter, the story of the West Indies has been of dismal failure in both tests and ODIs. From 1992 to 2019 ICC World Cup, the team did not get past the first round with the exception of 2007 when the world cup was held in the Caribbean islands. Bjorn Borg does not require any introduction to the connoisseurs of tennis. A winner of 11 Grand Slams, Borg is considered as one of the all-time great tennis players and his name figures in the Wimbledon’s Hall of Fame. After his glorious exit from tennis, Bjorn Borg had landed up with a number of personal setbacks that landed him in bankruptcy. In the year 2006, a shocking announcement was made that Borg’s coveted ‘Grand Slam’ winning trophies and two of his precious rackets will be auctioned in Bonham’s Auction House, London. Needless to say, the announcement had taken everyone by surprise. John McEnroe, an otherwise hostile opponent on the court, reportedly called up Borg to desist from such an unfortunate move. Ultimately, the noble and sincere effort of McEnroe and Andre Agassi yielded a positive result. Such real-life sordid incidents, the unfortunate stories of ups and downs, remind us of the famous lines of William Shakespeare in ‘King Lear.’ To quote the immortal dramatist, “As flies to wanton boys, they kill us for sport….” (The author is a retired civil servant and a die-hard art and sports enthusiast. The views expressed in the article are his own)
14 Guest Column
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
The questions against the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan: Are they justified, smart? T he overarching liberal position, transcending geo-political barriers, has always been propounded as that of one which possesses the aptitude and the chutzpah to take into account the innumerable nuances which are, or might be, associated with
Certain selfsupposed and selfproclaimed secular liberal elements from the society have emerged from the shadows, who by the looks of it, were harbouring a deep-seated antipathy towards the Supreme Court’s verdict on the issue. a particular case before arriving at a conclusion with regard to the same, irrespective of what the conclusion may look like. The conservative or the ‘right-wing position’ on the other hand, has perennially been typecast and labelled as that of one which overzealously assumes the (un) justified end result of any given contestation at the outset, before even considering the available material at hand due to the rigid mould of ideological compulsions it functions within. However, when it comes to the Ram Janmbhoomi, people who find classification under those with a liberal bent of mind have chosen to effectively take nuance and sacrifice it at the altar of perceived equality. Now, will it be considered illiberal if someone were to try and oust them? Irrespective, I will try. However, ever since the date of the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya has been announced, i.e. on the 5th of August, certain self-supposed and self-proclaimed secular liberal elements from the society have emerged from the shadows, who by the looks of it, were harbouring a deep-seated antipathy towards the Supreme Court’s verdict on the issue. These elements have taken to live television, as well as to the courts, to display their
discontent and clamour noisily for the halting of the ceremony raising some rhetorical questions. It now becomes imperative for the society-at-large to put these questions through a litmus test to see if they have any bearing in regard to merit or validity, or are they just aimed at trying to desperately flog a dead horse in hopes of resuscitating it. Saket Gokhale, an RTI activist who is also considered to be a close aide of Rahul Gandhi, approached the Allahabad High Court in an attempt to secure a stay on the Bhoomi Pujan proceedings which are scheduled to occur on the 5th of August in Ayodhya citing a potential violation of lockdown prescriptions. The High Court was quick in notifying the public that they did not share Gokhale’s concern in the least bit, as they discarded his PIL by labelling it as one which was premised upon ‘assumptions.’ The CPI-M thereafter wrote to the Prime Minster Office’s (PMO) demanding that the ceremony not be telecasted by the state’s public broadcaster, Doordarshan, as it would be a gross violation of India’s secular ethics and ideals. However, every year on 25th December, Doordarshan live broadcasts the midnight mass and the Pope’s message straight from the St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. So, if the latter religious broadcast can pass muster on the anvils of secularism, then why is the society tolerating the sabotaging of the former’s? Has the definition of secularism changed from being tolerant of all faiths to being tolerant to the intolerance of another faith or worldview? Assaduddin Owaisi, president of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul-Muslimeen (AIMIM), has also raised questions alluding to whether the PM’s visit to the temple site for the ceremony will be justified when viewed through a secular prism or not. His logic is how it can be considered as severely immoral for a public representative to overtly associate with the functioning of a particular religion in the open. So, why was it acceptable when PM Modi went to the Saifee Nagar Bohra Masjid in Indore? Why was it acceptable when PM Modi again sent a ‘chadar’ to Ajmer Sharif? Also, why is it that no one batted an eyelid when former PM Manmohan Singh inaugurated the Akshar
Gaurav Agarwal
PM Modi offering prayers at the Ram Mandir Bhoomi Pujan ceremony in Ayodhya on 6th August 2020 Dham Temple? Moreover, Owaisi himself has inaugurated innumerable numbers of mosques in the past, pictures of which are easily accessible on the internet. The very name of his own party in fact, is also in explicit association with the beliefs of a particular religious community. Furthermore, in the past, Owaisi, who never fails to add epithets like that of a ‘constitutional patriot’ before his name, has also openly incited violence against Kamlesh Tiwari due to him indulging in blasphemy in a free country, which then resulted in the latter’s lynching. All considered, how can it be feasible for anyone to accept lessons on secularism from these ‘liberals’ and ‘paragons of secularism?’ Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray has also jumped in uninvited on the non-issue and suggested that the ceremony on 5th August be carried out through ‘video conferencing.’ It is amusing and astounding to see the son of Balasaheb Thackeray trying to attach an asterisk around the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony. It is precisely so because sacred soil from prominent temples from across the country and water from almost all religiously significant water bodies in India is going to be used as a part of the
foundation on top of which the Ram Temple will be built during the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony, which is something video conferencing cannot facilitate even in an atheist’s wildest of dreams. So, how is it that Uddhav Thackeray, a self-professed devout Hindu, is unaware of this? Furthermore, some factions from society have also questioned as to whether these rituals can even be categorised as something justifiable or not. I will make this statement bluntly. One does not get to flabbergast the validity of Hindu rituals for the same reason that one also, by the same yardstick, does not get to question the ‘science’ behind the practice of immersing a newborn into ‘holy water’ from another religion, or the humanistic rationale behind the indiscriminate slaughtering of unassuming goats during the festivities of a different religion. The ability to practice one’s religion and faith is protected and ensured by Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution of India. Therefore, no community can be expected to be obliged to court out to the whims and fancies of modernity and its arbitrary notions about what constitutes progress or secularism, both not being even remotely synonymous. In addition, if it is the belief
of people from certain sections of society that the present dispensation is reaping political dividends by investing in ideas like that of the Ram Temple or even the Indian Army for example, then they should understand that these things cannot be viewed through an exclusivist prism because they appeal to people from all sections and parts of the country irrespective of identity considerations. Therefore, the correct way of countering such a modus operandi, if there even exists one, can never be that of being at loggerheads against the army or the site of pilgrimage of a religion indigenous to this soil but, it should be that of being able and willing to show a gargantuan section of the public that the concept of only one particular political party having their best interests at heart is bogus, which nobody from the left has even remotely been able to do. If the liberal establishment’s sanctimonious approach towards presenting themselves and handling matters of public importance is not rightfully tended to in the near future, then they might as well start preparing early for 2029. (The views expressed in the article are the author’s own. G Plus may not subscribe to the same)
News This Week
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
A quick round up of the news that mattered during the past week
1
IPL 2020: BCCI confirms suspension of partnership with Vivo
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed in an official announcement that the Chinese Mobile phone company Vivo will no longer be their title sponsor this year for IPL 2020. The Chinese Mobile Phone producer has decided to quit after renegotiation of terms with the board and BBCI has also stated that it is going to be a challenge for them to find a new title sponsor for the series. Earlier, sources had informed that Vivo would no longer be their title sponsor and the Board is now calling for new bids amid the rising Indo-China diplomatic tensions.
2
Google removes 2,500 YouTube channels linked to China
Google has claimed to have pulled down over 2,500 YouTube channels linked with China, in an effort to fight disinformation on the platform. The YouTube channels were removed between the months of April and June as part of their investigation which is still on, into coordinated influence operations tied to China. These channels that have been removed have reportedly posted ‘spammy, nonpolitical’ content while a small subset did touch politics, said Google in its quarterly bulletin on disinformation operations carried out by the giant. The Chinese Embassy in the United States of America, however, did not immediately respond to a message seeking comments on the same. China has denied allegations of spreading disinformation in the past.
3
Kahaani Ghar Ghar Ki actor Sameer Sharma commits suicide
Episodes of suicide continue to shock Mumbai as another renowned actor was found hanging at his residence. This time, TV actor Sameer Sharma was found hanging from the ceiling of his rented apartment by the Malad police at night on 5th August. “TV actor & model Sameer Sharma was found hanging from his kitchen ceiling at his residence in Malad West last night. Accidental Death Report registered, body sent for autopsy. Looking at body’s condition, it’s suspected that he died by suicide two days back: Malad Police,” reported ANI. No suicide note has been found and a case of accidental death has been registered.
4
Modi lays foundation stone at Ram Mandir, Ayodhya
Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone at the Bhoomi Pujan event at the Ram Mandir site in Ayodhya. PM Modi laid down a silver brick to mark the foundation ceremony of the Ram Temple. Modi began his address with “Jai Siya Ram”. Speaking on the occasion he said, “Ram temple construction in Ayodhya will lift the economy of the entire region.” The temple construction is an instrument to unite the country and many people have made sacrifices for construction of the Ram temple to whom PM Modi paid respects. India, he believes, is creating a golden chapter in Ayodhya, as the wait of centuries ended today with the laying of the foundation stone in Ayodhya.
5
I&B Minister launches ‘DD Assam’ channel virtually
Union Minister of Information & Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar, on August 4, digitally launched “DD Assam,” a 24X7 Assamese satellite channel. “The launch of 24X7 satellite channel DD Assam is a great gift to the state of Assam, which sends the message of unity in diversity,” said Javadekar. “Assam and North Eastern Region is so full of natural diversity and cultural richness and yet it carries the thread of unity. It is hence necessary that each state has its own Doordarshan channel,” he added. “DD Assam will go a long way in showcasing the rich history of the state. Every region has a rich diversity, Assam also has a lot to say to the people of the state and the country,” said the director general of Doordarshan.
15
6
Beirut blast: President declares 2 week emergency in Lebanon
7
Mahatma Gandhi first nonwhite man to feature on UK currency
The president of Lebanon Michel Aoun has called for an emergency cabinet meeting and declared a 2-weeklong state of emergency in Lebanon following the massive explosion in Beirut. He has also assembled the country’s High Defence Council following the massive Beirut blast. The blasts left at least 78 people dead and over 4,000 people have been wounded by the same. The explosion sent shockwaves across the capital city of Beirut and shattered windows, causing more widespread damage across the city, even on the outskirts of Beirut. The blasts in Beirut city have been linked to around 2,700 tonnes of confiscated ammonium nitrate which were stored at a warehouse at the port for six years.
The United Kingdom will now mint a coin featuring the father of the Indian nation, Mahatma Gandhi. The UK Treasury announced the move on August 1 amid calls to recognize contributions of minorities to the country. This time, the nation plans to feature Gandhi, on the British currency coin - the first non-white person to be featured so. The ‘We too Built Britain’ campaign which has called for ethnic minority people to be featured on the currency was what led to the decision. The Royal Mint Advisory Committee is an independent committee made up of experts who recommend themes and designs of coins to the Chancellor, in his role as Master of the Mint.
8
MHA seeks 3 more months for framing CAA rules
9
WhatsApp’s new feature to debunk fake news
The union ministry of home affairs (MHA) has sought an extension of three months to frame the rules of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA). According to the Manual on Parliamentary Work, rules for legislation should be framed within six months of the date of the President’s assent or the standing committee on subordinate legislation should be approached for extension of time. Earlier, the Lok Sabha had passed the CAA legislation on December 9, 2019 and Rajya Sabha on December 11, 2019. The amended Act aims to grant Indian citizenship to six minorities - Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhist, Christians and Parsis from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who have faced or fled fearing religious persecution.
WhatsApp has added a fresh new feature to help debunk viral and fake news on its platform. The new feature helps users ‘Search the web’ and check authenticity of forwarded messages, according to the Facebook owned company’s blog post. WhatsApp had earlier put a limit on the number of times a person would be able to forward a message and indicated forwarded messages with two arrows above the message to know that the message has been forwarded and not written by some close person, in an earlier update. This will help WhatsApp users combat misinformation by verifying facts from credible links on the web.
10
Mumbai sets another example in promoting gender equality
In a welcome move, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has installed signs with female figures in a move to promote gender equality. The city’s civic body is reportedly changing its road signs and pedestrian signals on the Dadar-Mahim arterial road. “If you have passed by Dadar, you will see something that will make you feel proud. @mybmcWardGN is ensuring gender equality with a simple idea – the signals now have women too,” tweeted Maharashtra’s environment and tourism minister Aditya Thackeray to inform people about the newly installed signs. The initiative will make Mumbai the first city in the country to have female symbols on road signals.”
16 Catching Up
| Aug 08 - Aug 14, 2020
Talk Of The tOWN
PIC OF THE
Art of the week
WEEK
#ESSENTIALSTHISSEASON | Art: Rifa Deka
Artist: Sanjeev Handique | The North East Cancer Hospital
Barasha Das @Barasha_mi2
Gauhati Baptist Church, Panbazar
C
hristmas has always been celebrated with much fun and gaiety in Guwahati. Come 25th December, the Panbazar area of the city gets completely transformed. Guwahatians, irrespective of religion, throng the churches of the area to join in the celebrations. And why not? The area has the oldest churches of the city. One of them is the Guwahati Baptist Church. Located at the Panbazar Mission Compound, near the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital, Panbazar. It is the second oldest church of undivided Assam. It was established as Gauhati Baptist Church on 25th January, 1845 and Rev. Cyrus Barker was appointed as the first pastor. Prior to that, a Baptist Mission Centre by the British had been started in Gauhati by Serampore Mission under the leadership of James Rae on the request of David Scott, the then British Commissioner in Assam. James Rae started a school and baptised six students. He also started a Baptist church at Gauhati with twelve members comprising of the six newly baptised students, his own family and a few English officials. Unfortunately, this church
gradually diminished much to the disappointment of James Rae due to financial constraints and administrative inconvenience. Meanwhile, the American Baptist Missionaries, Reverend .Dr. Nathan Brown, and Rev. Oliver Cutter arrived in Assam in 1836, at the invitation of Captain Francis Jenkins (1834-1861) who was the British Commissioner in Assam and the Agent to the British Governor General at the time. They started a Mission Centre at Sadiya. In 1836, the first Ame rican Baptist Missionary of Assam e stablishe d its first ce ntre in Gauhati. Rev. Dr. Nathan Brown, Rev. Miles Bronson and the others travelled to Gauhati on foot and met Rev. Cyrus Barker, who was already establishing a Mission Centre in Gauhati. Seeing this initiative, James Rae came and offered his full cooperation towards the Gauhati Centre. The funds and other properties of the British Baptist
Mission Centre were soon handed over to the American Baptist Mission. The original building of the Baptist church collapsed in the great earthquake of 1897. Reverend G.R. Campher was entrusted with the construction work of the new church building. Under his guidance and supervision, Anandi with the help of four Chinese carpenters completed the construction of the present church building in 1914 and named it as “Ward Memorial Church “ after Rev. William Ward, a pioneering American Baptist missionary. At the time of construction it was the tallest building of Gauhati. The Navagraha Cemetery and Nichols School are an integral part of this Baptist institution.
Beating the Heat | Photo: Surajit Sharma
So restaurants and bars are finally opening; good for all those Guwahatians who make a living out of it. But only from 10 am to 5 pm on weekdays? Can’t grab a drink with pals after work or even on weekends. Thanks t o the night curfew and weekend lockdown. P.S. Can office goers have the option of working from bars after the grand experience of working from home?
news
Guwahati might not be a smart city yet but at least we made it to the list of ‘hottest’ cities in India coming in at No 10. This year Guwahati also witnessed the hottest temperature in 70 years! Waiting for someone to write a song on ‘Summer of 2020’ that can become a classic rock hit for us to rant about in front of the younger generation, fifty years down the line. P.S. Can’t wait to smirk at those who, in July last, said ‘Eibaar dekhun goromei nai...’
Printed & Published by Sunit Jain on behalf of Insight Brandcom Pvt. Ltd. and Printed at Janambhumi Press (P) Ltd., Kalapahar, Guwahati and Published at 4A, Royale Arcade, Ulubari, Guwahati - 781007, Editor: Swapnil Bharali. Phone: 0361 2522444, Email: info@g-plus.in, RNI No: ASSENG/2013/52641