An article entitled “mission pothole- a fake or real need?” published your esteemed daily by Mann Vam De of Sainik School Punglwa draws my humble attention and prompts me to write this short riposte. First, to make my stand clear, I did not participate in any of the Mission pothole campaign, not because I didn’t want to participate but due to my physical distance from the campaign centers. Secondly, this write up is not to malign the image or the character of the writer; rather I appreciate the writers concerns and some of the opinions regarding the youths of this generations.
However, I feel that some of the points raised by Vam De are based on unsound judgment. First, pardon my ignorance, but has the participants of the mission potholes became superstars overnight? I don’t think so. Did they do it for fame or recognition? Yes, for some insignificant few, but certainly not all (Many are already facebook celebrities- pun intended). Should posing for lens be construed as being show off? If so, we better stop watching TV or read newspapers or magazines. And lastly, does politics only refer to the electioneering process? This is the tricky and misleading part of his article.
Unfortunately, De’s theory starts with an unfounded hypothesis that “life is a theatre where the worst person gets the front seat”. If the society were to revolve around this hypothesis, then probably all achievers and successful persons belong to that ‘worst person’ category. Luckily, this generation thinks differently and doesn’t buy such dirt.
Yet, I agree with De’s fundamental question. Does one need to show off one’s good deeds? Of course not, unless for a hypocrite. If the youths of our society are doing things just for the sake of criticizing or to fulfill vested aspirations, then we are on the wrong footing, and that should be corrected. And yes, there may be a handful of youths who are never happy with anything but excels only in criticizing others without contributing for its solution; but again, it would be irrational to generalize such extreme case to the entire youths of our society.
The youths of today, in spite of their impatience, fidgetiness, intolerance and even hunger for fame are also not that bad when we looked upon their brighter side. Thanks to the information and communication technology; through the social networking sites, the Naga youths under the banner of The Naga Blog and several other groups are contributing several commendable services to our society. The list may include, among others, aiding patients, donating bloods, cleaning community health centers, and organizing social works etc. And the good thing is that, the members generate their own resources required for such activity- even students chip in from their pocket money. Well, certainly they are not doing that for their own fame and recognition.
Coming to politics, De is of the opinion that the youths want change but doesn’t want to take part in politics. Here I would like to add that politics meant differently to different persons. The scope and definition itself is too vast that we cannot narrow it down to voting and campaigning process alone. Politics is the art or science concerned with guiding or influencing governmental policy, it even encompasses the total complex of relations between people living in the society. Who then can say that democratic protest isn’t politics? It is one of the best gifts of our democratic constitution and the youths are only using these political rights to assert their point of view and intentions.
I am more amused by the way De issue his edicts that the youths should “elect a government which you can trust and in the later years with whom you don’t need to criticize for not doing their work”. This can happen only when God send His saints to rule the earth and not by mortals like us. And the moment the government fulfill all its obligations, or the people stops to question the government, democracy will end.
N Janbemo Humtsoe
janbemolotha@gmail.com
