Emotion exploit  The other night while watching a musical reality show on TV we were astounded to hear the host calling Debojit Saha as the ‘proud son of Bengal’. Yes, anchor Aditya Narayan, son of singer Udit Narayan, would have been right had he referred to Debojit as ‘a proud Bengali from Assam’ or something on similar lines. In fact, the people of Bengal would have liked that more than the false and misleading statement made by Aditya. Possibly this youngster, also a singer himself, was trying to please the audience there resorting to falsehood as the shooting for that episode that night was held in Kolkata. Aditya could have referred to Debojit differently based on the truth about his home town which would have pleased the Bengali people more than the false statement. This is an example of how some people try to exploit the emotions of a community for narrow selfish gains without trying to highlight the importance and charm of harmony in diversity — the buzzword in today’s global scenario. Music lovers countrywide also know how Debojit emerged winner at the reality show — due to SMSs sent passionately and enthusiastically by the people of Assam, irrespective of caste, creed and religion following an AASU call which resulted in removing the decades-old simmering bitterness between the people of Barak and Brahmaputra valleys. Moreover, we don’t need to keep our actual background and originality in the dark to become popular in an alien land. With humility coupled with an eagerness to adapt the culture and language of the place of residence keeping intact and pursuing the finer traits of our own rich culture can lead us to greatness and popularity.

Project plus!  Just have a look at the accompanying photograph in which labourers are engaged in the construction of guard walls along the Bharalu river — should we anymore call it a river that is being relegated to the status of a drain? — in Bhangagarh area of Guwahati. And see what is being done with the land scooped out to construct the walls; it is simply being dumped into the river making the bed more shallow. Maybe that’s ‘precision’ on the part of the contractors, responsible for the construction, or the concerned department that had conceived the project of walling (read narrowing) the already narrowed river, thanks to blatant encroachment and other man-made nuisance. ‘Precision’ because such an act would further generate another project — this time clearing the river bed, lest the ensuing monsoons will flood the areas along the Bharalu! And mind you, all these are at the cost of state exchequer — people’s money! Are those at the helm ‘genuinely’ ready to think twice before taking up such projects so that people’s money does not go down the drain?

Shopping spree  India’s hypermarket major Big Bazaar, part of the Future Group, is on with its annual shopping bonanza coinciding with the Republic Day celebrations — ‘Sabse Saste 3 Din’ — beginning today countrywide. However, the Guwahati store at Bhangagarh began the event from Friday to be continued till January 28, making it an extended six-day shopping delight for the consumers here. Priyadarshi Roy, store manager, Big Bazaar, Guwahati said, the event will have an array of attractive offers with best possible discounts and mega deals. “Since consumers always look for value-for-money products, these six days will give them a great opportunity to save money and yet get the best products — all branded — at the best possible prices.” The products range from daily household needs of food and grocery to apparels, footwear, toys, luggage, kitchenware, bed and bathware, home decor, furniture, electronics, jewellery, and you name it.

Simanta / Mridumoloy