On a day the Department of School Education came out with important orders and notification with regard to the much talked about bogus appointments in the department and to correct the same, the Naga Students Federation has brought to the attention of the government on backdoor appointments taking place in several departments. All of us who are concerned about illegality in our government should appreciate the efforts being made by the NSF, which is trying to cleanse the dirt in the system. It seems to be that we have not learned our lessons about subverting the system through corrupt and illegal means. As mentioned, the School Education Department after going through a few years of scandal and investigation, it is finally trying to resolve the turmoil caused as a result of massive illegal appointment made over the years. Therefore in backdrop of the current efforts to correct the anomalies within our system, reports of the government departments continuing to indulge in such backdoor appointments without any proper recruitment procedure should come as a matter of concern. The concern departments ought to be very careful after all the recent headaches over bogus appointments in the School Education Department. In fact the government will be undoing all the good work it has done over the last few months and years to cleanse the system. It’s important for the health and vitality of the government not to be lured into old temptations, which in the long run will only create more complications and trouble. It is a worrying statistics but Nagaland government is overburdened with so many cases pending against it.
It is not that we do not have rules for appointments made to the government machinery. We are good at making rules and then bending them to suit our interest. Also our bureaucrats seem unable to say no to political pressure from the top. Decision making should be in the interest of the future well being of the State and not for any other extraneous purpose. It will be only fair to say that the bureaucracy in Nagaland must come out of the shadow of its political masters and function in a more independent and professional manner. Off course this will not just happen overnight but it will require strong reform measures which again would require even stronger political will. What the NSF is also essentially telling or appealing (to the Chief Secretary) is to stop political interference in job recruitment and to follow the rules already established. The task to bring about a just society and political order is indeed a noble one, although in a system where politicians have enormous power to appoint, transfer or punish officials, the struggle will be an arduous one but nevertheless worth fighting for. It is not only the job of the NSF, but can we as a people and society bring about the transformative change that we so often talk about. The question is will we change the old order of unfair means, nepotism etc. which dogs our system and in the process ensure a just system of fair play and equal opportunities for every Naga irrespective of class, creed or political colour. There are thousands of qualified and enthusiastic Naga youths waiting to give their best services to the State government. And their right to be given fair and equal opportunity should not be denied to them. Let the rule of law prevail. Let us put an end to illegality and manipulation.
It is not that we do not have rules for appointments made to the government machinery. We are good at making rules and then bending them to suit our interest. Also our bureaucrats seem unable to say no to political pressure from the top. Decision making should be in the interest of the future well being of the State and not for any other extraneous purpose. It will be only fair to say that the bureaucracy in Nagaland must come out of the shadow of its political masters and function in a more independent and professional manner. Off course this will not just happen overnight but it will require strong reform measures which again would require even stronger political will. What the NSF is also essentially telling or appealing (to the Chief Secretary) is to stop political interference in job recruitment and to follow the rules already established. The task to bring about a just society and political order is indeed a noble one, although in a system where politicians have enormous power to appoint, transfer or punish officials, the struggle will be an arduous one but nevertheless worth fighting for. It is not only the job of the NSF, but can we as a people and society bring about the transformative change that we so often talk about. The question is will we change the old order of unfair means, nepotism etc. which dogs our system and in the process ensure a just system of fair play and equal opportunities for every Naga irrespective of class, creed or political colour. There are thousands of qualified and enthusiastic Naga youths waiting to give their best services to the State government. And their right to be given fair and equal opportunity should not be denied to them. Let the rule of law prevail. Let us put an end to illegality and manipulation.
