Dr Asangba Tzüdir
When ‘backdoor’ appointment has seemingly become ‘frontdoor’ and where it is condemned as ‘ethically permissible,’ the news of the recent exposure of ‘backdoor appointments’ in various departments including education sector, has taken corruption to another height. What is more appalling and painful, besides other things, is the fact that a generation of young people is being taught by backdoor professors. Not that it is something new, but it has generated a renewed shock where a title associated with nobility and intellect has been pulled down to such a level of contempt.
While the news must have generated mixed feelings, of both sadness and happiness, it is surely happiness and rejoicing for the ‘right’ and ‘good’ thinking citizens and particularly for those deprived people at the thought of getting a chance to prove their worth through the open door. And for the saddened ‘backdoor people,’ they are already in a tight spot. The ‘backdoor appointees’ smartly skirting like a ‘front door appointee,’ their dice is now rolling in the court of law courtesy of ACAUT and PSAN (Public Service Aspirants of Nagaland). The terms, with which the writ petition has been filed, if taken to the right conclusion is going to tighten the noose of the ‘backdoor appointees.
A painful moral choice is either to admit or defend. Admittance will cause shame sitting but wrong resistance might lead to being condemned standing. As a footnote, a backdoor does not become a frontdoor just because one has the desired qualification in paper nor does it make one more qualified than the other who may be the one deserving.
The truth and the right thing is, for one to ‘eat what is due and not eat by way of depriving the plate and starving the one who deserves to eat'. Let open door competition decide the deserving. Ironically, the world is so cruel that the promoters of justice end up at the wrong side of delivering justice to those who do not deserve justice. That, rights today is hardly given, and so it ‘ought’ to be claimed.
The general public is slowly awakening to a new form of consciousness being finally shaken and stirred by an unimaginable level of unhealthy state of corrupt affairs with a longing for change. Hans Kelsen has rightly stated that “morality applies responsibilities from inside,” and such consciousness should get translated to responsibility derived praxis because the ‘buck’ will not stop here if it is not disturbed or opposed. What ACAUT and PSAN have started should be backed by all right thinking and concerned people in ensuring that the backdoor is sealed so that the deserving can claim their right through the legit front door. Only then the future will see a positive transformation.
(Dr. Asangba Tzudir contributes a weekly guest editorial to The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
