Letter from the Editor-In-Chief
April, 2009
Self preservation is a very basic instinct, as instinctive and natural as breathing and eating. We are all endowed with this very primal instinct and it has come to our rescue more than once. However, this very instinct has resulted in a major crisis in the political scenario in Meghalaya. After all, wasn’t it self preservation that drove 5 MLAs to abandon what they suspected to be a sinking ship, namely the Meghalaya Progressive Alliance (MPA) government? In a bid to fortify their political longevity, these five members of the ruling MPA government in Meghalaya switched sides when they realised that the government might lose its paper thin majority in the house and topple.
This all resulted in the collapse of the said government and the imposition of President’s Rule in the state. But then again, isn’t this one of the many ugly faces of politics in today’s day and age. Isn’t politics an arena where you literally have to grow eyes in the back of your head? Suspicion is rampant and back stabbing is common dear readers… all too common. There is a need for a change. Somehow, we have to stop putting self over everything else. Do we still need to question why we are lagging so far behind the rest of the country when it comes to development? How can we develop when no government seems to stay in power for a full term. In fact, the only Chief Minister who has successfully served his whole term in office in Meghalaya is the former Chief Minister Mr. S. C. Marak.
In preparing the feature on the 17 most shocking events that Eastern Panorama has covered in these last 17 years, we at Eastern Panorama were greatly disturbed by the lows that we humans are willing to sink to. It seems like the world of today is not a far cry from hell, such is the evil that has become part and parcel of our everyday lives.
We need to regain the humanity that we have sacrificed in the pursuit of wealth, power and glory dear readers and maybe, this is where the 17 spiritual destinations of the North East that we have featured in this issue come in. Maybe all of us need a little time to visit these places, a little time to get in touch with our spiritual side and regain all that we have unwittingly surrendered.
Birthdays are supposed to be filled with warmth, cheerfulness and hope. However, in light of all that is going on in the region at present, gone is the warmth and the cheerfulness. On this, our 17th birthday, we at Eastern Panorama are left only with hope… hope for a change and a better tomorrow.
Dr. K. K. Jhunjhunwala
