City entrepreneur and environment lover, Jiwat Vaswani, has filed a FIR against one Nangkiew Sutnga for allegedly publishing false and fabricated information with regards to the businessman on Facebook.
Vaswani’s CSR arm, Jiva Cares, has been doing its bit through greening up parts of Shillong, especially Khyndailad, among other philanthropic pursuits. As part of this, Jiva Cares has been given responsibility over the roundabout at Khyndailad where, for a nominal rent, Jiva Cares can put up some advertising while also taking care of the beauty of the area.
Recently, Jiva Cares put up a large sign that reads ‘Love you Shillong’, the love represented by a giant red heart, which all lights up at night and underneath that is written Jiva Cares. It has been an instant hit with tourists and even locals, who have taken many a selfie in front of the sign.
The location of this is a matter of debate as it has resulted in pedestrians clogging up an already traffic-prone area of the city but Sutnga went further but lashing out viciously and with more than a tinge of racism towards Vaswani.
Sutnga had claimed that Vaswani was doing all this beautification for his own selfish interest and to promote his commercial activities. In reality, the area has been leased out to Vaswani by the Shillong Municipal Board on clear cut conditions and directions that he maintain the area and everything in it including all payments and surcharges etc. that accrue towards this task on his own resources, with a rider that he may use it for branding purposes within laid down norms.
According to the hotelier who owns a chain of restaurants and eateries across the state and has been quietly feeding hundreds of homeless people and even stray dogs for the last many years, Sutnga has openly charged him of conducting his businesses by benami and that all efforts to encourage cleanliness and love for nature amongst citizens were all to make his establishments look good.
The writer had listed a series of allegations and accusations which, according to Vaswani, has affected him mentally and even taking a toll on his health, even as it has also impacted his family, friends, and well-wishers.
The FIR, signed by Vaswani as the president of Jiva Cares, a registered society which aims at carrying out social and philanthropic works for the uplift of the downtrodden and needy, was submitted to police on Monday evening.
“These actions of the said individual have tarnished the goodwill that I have nurtured and shared with all manner of people that I come into contact with, in my life,” Vaswani said in the FIR.
Understanding the profound impact that social media has on people, Vaswani told the police, “I fear that someone could be convinced by the lies, so much so to develop a desire to harm me even.”
