Letter from the Editor-In-Chief
May, 2009
Uncertainty looms over Elections 2009 as no one has any idea, as of today, who will come to power. The only thing that is a surety is that we will have a Kichidi government. That is to say that we will have an amalgamation of different political parties with ideologies as diverse as their policies. Such a government, as has been proven time and again in the past, is bound to stumble all over itself in trying to keep all its constituent parts happy. This, sadly, will ultimately lead to a negative impact on the economy of the country.
In this issue of Eastern Panorama, a group of journalists such as Amlan Home Chowdhury, Bijoy Sharma, Sobhapati Samom, Jagdamba Mall and Sushanta Roy have delved deep into the intricacies of the elections to the lower house of the Parliament in their respective states and have given us a clear picture on the state of affairs and developments.
The Right to Information Act 2005 was implemented in Meghalaya last year, much to the relief of the people. Unfortunately, our administrators seemingly have not been able to shake off the colonial mindset. Our Executive Editor Mr. H. Jhunjhunwala has thoroughly investigated the affairs of the Meghalaya Public Service Commission (MPSC) which is hell bent on preserving a system of secrecy which has an adverse effect on the aspiring youth. To our surprise, the officials of the MPSC went out of their way to avoid our reporters who tried to approach them and get their side of the story.
This issue also includes a feature on the pros and cons of democracy. The author – Mr. Goenka gives his informed opinion on what needs to be changed in the present system in order for India to have a more effective form of democracy. This feature is definitely food for thought and will go a long way in affecting change in what has become a stagnant and lackadaisical system.
In a lighter mood, Airtel recently played a major role in Assam setting a new world record. Through their help, about 20 artisans were able to craft a 40 ft diameter Japi (the traditional headdress of the people of Assam), the largest one in existence. Along the lines of world records, Assam’s Anandita Dutta recently broke the Guinness World Record for the most number of chillies consumed in one minute. Eastern Panorama extends its congratulations to these artisans and to Mrs. Dutta for bringing these accolades to the region.
By the time this magazine reaches your hands, there will be a new government in power and we are optimistic that the people of India have opted for a government that works.