2 Crores for Hornbill festival - Is it worth it?

Kekhrie Sorhie: 2 crores!!! Is the hornbill a profit or loss investment? Is the hornbill promoting tourism? as per the papers or is it just the govt. selling us crap?

Yanpvuo Kikon: For me, 2 Crores is worth the investment! There's no denying the fact that Hornbill has indeed put Nagaland in the world and national map for Tourism! I was pleasantly surprised to find my flight from Kolkata, 50% were filled with foreign tourists! And guess what, I think we had FOUR FLIGHTS TO NAGALAND IN A SINGLE DAY - 30th Nov'11! The investment is pretty cool with the amount of media attention - Star Sports choppers covering the rally and stuff!! I feel very proud when I meet mainland Indian musicians in Bombay and they rave about the Hornbill Rock contest!! Besides, a lot of revenue is generated for the locals starting from those building the Morungs, guest houses, taxis, shops, bazaars, indigenous food and product vendors! WOW!! HornbiLL festival has been such a blessing to Nagaland!

Imojen Jamir: If a normal contestant in the General election can spend 5-6 crores, our govt's at least doing a decent job with that 2 crores.

The root of corruption in Nagaland  - Public Greed, Not Politicians?

Alem Penshy: The public ought to be blamed partially for making our politicians
Corrupted!! Before any election, our public drains our politician's bank account dry!! Politicians are obliged to fulfill the public demands which is obviously the hard fact –
*Cash for Vote!*
With the current political scenario in Nagaland - The more money distributed in a constituency, the more chances of a candidate winning the seat!! So ultimately, our politicians are left with no choice but to sell all his property and even their priceless hereditary treasures!! Eventually if he wins after spending Crores in his campaign, he will obviously try to recover what he has lost!!
So the public funding which he gets for development has already been CONSUMED by the public during the election campaign!!! So our politician tries to recover his debt and loss through these development funds! And by the time the recovery is in progress, the next election begins! This is a vicious cycle where the the entire system is to be blamed! Not just the leaders and the politicans but the root of corruption - "Greed"

Ron Murry: When a pastor buys a new vehicle
People say, 'God blessed him'
When an officer buys a new vehicle
People say, 'wow! The hard working guy got what he deserved'
But when politicians buy a new vehicle
People say, 'Pubilc Money Laga Gari'
Without knowing that the money used by these three people has the same source/origin!

Illegal Immigration in Nagaland: Miyas – A threat to the Nagas’ future?

Akihito Kinni: I was shocked to know that one of the highest population in Dimapur are the Muslims , then the Hindus followed by Christians.

Rozelle Mero:
Go see the Biometrics line and it is all Miyas. We need to make temporary residence permits only! Send them back to Assam where they get their permanent residence permits to do their UID cards. What is wrong with the village boards! I know they want votes, who cares if we become an Indonesia or a Malaysia. TERRIBLE! And they will just increase. I really think they can come earn a living but only as temporary residents and not permanent ones who will be voting for who will represent us! You watch it they will be asking for a legislative seat 100% and there is nothing we can do if they get the majority. Imagine Indonesia use to be animistic like us and had some Hindus and Christians as well then the Arab traders came and now, the largest Muslim population in the world! And they look just like us. No offence against them, have friends who are Muslims and I think they are wonderful people but this illegal immigration by the droves is very worrying!
Personally I think in Dimapur we should comb colony by colony and village by village, sounds like a bit of a witch hunt, but this idea of a TRP has to be introduced to protect our future.

K Wapong Longkumer:
The UID was touted as something that will curb illegal immigration especially in the border areas. It looks like a total failure in Nagaland. All the Miyas are getting enumerated and their biometric info captured. Unless the Govt. use these info to deport them permanently it is like giving all illegal immigrants our version of the green card. What a day that will be!!
Nagaland especially Dimapur is one of the best place to earn compared to many other cities in India. That’s why all the illigal immigrants also come here. As for us Nagas as long as we can keep our egos intact we hardly fail to notice how much we are losing and how poor we are.

Hosayol Sothu Sayo:Came to Nagaland for the 1st time, 12 year old Miya boy sitting in a pan shop don’t know even Nagamese. At 15 went home and brought another 12 year old Miya for his replacement and he started an independent pan shop. 17 years old, his pan shop became a grocery shop and we Nagas proudly say “Abdul laga dukan te sop saman pai tate hi jabo”. At 12 mid-night knock knock; “Abdul, Abdul!” and you get what you want and is satisfied! Abdul and you became brothers in arms. At 21 he is not afraid of any one started to scold back ''DADA(Naga) ke koi dibo te bishi phutani nakuribi.'' At 24 he owns 3 shops at different locations and is busy bringing more new Miyas. At 27 he already owns a BIG WHOLESALE STORE and 10 Grocery shop and 5 new pan shops. And blah blah blah....
If 1 Miya boy is running at this pace just imagine how many dear brother Miyas must be doing the same. Where are the opportunities for Nagas?
 
(The Naga Blog was  created in 2007 by  Yanpvuo Kikon. This  column in the Morung  Express will be a weekly  feature  every Saturday)