Al Ngullie
Morung Express News
August 3
A dizzying fusion of total surprise, persuasive doubt and cheeky ironies surfaced from last week’s The Morung Express poll: “How do you rate the overall performance of DAN Govt?” Commenting on how Team Rio had thus far fared, hundreds of Netizens voted: 33% said it performed “Good.” A higher 39% voted “Average.” Then, 28% of the respondents had a say or two for the government on what needs to be done other than pamper itself on releasing hot air.
But, one intriguing thread held the poll together – contextualizing even those who voted “Good” – was the common chorus that there certainly is corruption in the government and that it has failed in containing law and order – two allergic issues the DAN has been denying fervently and dare not scratch it. Rio has to stop it, the citizens said. The irony? Even those who voted its performance “Good” – leave alone the ones who said “Average” and others in the “Others” category – could perceived that the two issues remain untended and must be tackled.
The loud resonance (Note again: including of those who voted “Good”) was the oft-repeated opinion in the state that DAN had failed to ensure security for citizens or acting resolutely on law and order; another widespread opinion in the poll was DAN’s concept of “all-round development” being confined only to Kohima. For instance, one respondent (Note: this one had voted “Good”) opined thus: “DAN has been good so far as building big mansion like offices in Kohima…other than Kohima, there don’t seem much development taking place in other districts.”
The “Good” Votes
According to a citizen who voted “good,” the state has been “good in making people have a sense that things are improving.” But, he wrote, ‘the corruption is increasing and unemployment is on the rise.’ The citizen also observed that “there is a feeling that lots of things are being done,” because of DAN’s ability to ‘win the opinion of the people.’ Nonetheless, the respondent gave the devil its due: ‘No denying that the DAN has also made some high profile offices and raised some landmark buildings which create the impression that things are happening.’ The citizen then explained why he voted “Good”: “because people are willing to give DAN a chance to prove itself.” This will be the last opportunity to prove themselves (DAN government), he added though.
Similar observations of ‘Good, but…’ and ‘Ok, but…’ from the Netizens followed. “There are of course limitations and if one were to criticize, there is much to criticize Rio about. But unlike the previous government, at least the DAN govt is pro-Naga,” a citizen, nonetheless acknowledged.
The “Average” Votes
The comments of those who voted DAN as “Average” ran like an index for incompetence: deficit budgets, weak and inability to deal with law and order problems; no development in rural areas, programmes and policies benefiting only the rich while the “poor are becoming poorer and poorer”;
The “Average” voters felt that the DAN was over-hyped – their performance not ‘proportionate’ to the expectation that was had of them when Rio’s lot emerged on the Naga horizon after decades of Congress rule.
“When you consider all the different aspects that brought the DAN govt to power, they have turned out to be only average in their performance,” one said while referring to the reason why the Congress years fell and the people sought ‘change.’ “But now,” the citizen lamented “they (DAN) are turning out to be no different.” If the DAN is not “careful, and if they don’t mend their ways,” he stated, the Congress will return to power in the same way that DAN came to power. “They (DAN) will not get another opportunity like they did when the entire Naga people were behind them,” he added, echoing the remark of another citizen earlier (who voted ‘Good”) that “this will be the last opportunity to prove themselves.”
Then, another opined that the DAN “may want to do many good things,” sadly, they lack “have no clue on governance.” In fact, he said, “a number of politicians in power” are “basically businessmen first.” Maybe that is the reason why DAN can enter into lucrative business deals. “But since they are weak in governance, they are unable to follow through with the implementation,” the citizen added. Another voter called DAN a “trier” but not the best. “Deficit budget and private exclusive empire building, other side is never convincing,” the citizen lamented. Also, the DAN figured just a tiny bit “better then the Congress govt,” but, he added, stop corruption. “They think globally, but do nothing locally,” another said.
The “Others” Votes
This group was irrepressible: The respondents made clear that “the performance of the DAN govt is lopsided.” DAN speaks “volumes” of development, justice and peace, but the irony is only the rich is benefiting benefits under the government, they said. The poor has “some share,” a citizen noted, but only “meager.” “What ails the government is that it is too much in words and too less in deeds,” a citizen wrote, obviously referring to DAN’s never keeping up with its tough-talk.
Likened comments followed: DAN’s performance is “below average,” “not up to the expectation or satisfaction” and “maybe power is going into their head” et al. In its first term, a citizen said, DAN was more ‘grounded,’ remembering the people in their policies. “I thought the second term will be better since they are expected to improve with experience, but sadly this has not been the case. Now they are even more difficult, arrogant and think they can get away with anything,” the citizen rued. “If only there was a strong and dynamic opposition, maybe the DAN would have had to function more responsibly and with more accountability. Unfortunately, the Congress on the other hand is not a good opposition,” the Netizen lamented.
Another citizen was more diplomatic: “It’s very difficult to asses the performance of DAN. At the moment the public are blind. They are only measuring on the basis of new buildings that the DAN govt is building…But the role of the govt is more than new buildings. It is about ensuring public security and creating new opportunities and improving the economic conditions of the people,” the citizen reminded. So far, another stated, “the DAN government has done well.” Sadly, he added, not so in ensuring public security…” “The DAN govt has failed miserably. Also, the DAN has failed to prove that it is corruption-free govt,” another familiar remark found even among those who voted “Good” or “Average.”
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