Kohima, Jan 29 (NEPS): The outgoing Nagaland Governor Shyamal Datta expressed his satisfaction on the sea change he had seen during the last five years since he came to Nagaland as Governor. “I and my wife will be leaving this land and people so dear to us with full of satisfaction”, he told the journalists who called on him at the Raj Bhavan on Monday.
The Governor refused to pretend that he was not emotional on his parting with the Naga people. A leader bereft of emotion would lack stirring the minds of the masses and incapable of leading them sometimes, he explained. “We need to have emotions sometimes”, he said. “After all, we are human beings”.
Datta said the things in Naga society evolved themselves and that had been heading for the betterment of their future. There had been visible sign of competitiveness among the Nagas and also with their counterparts and even with the rest of the world. They were second to none to the world and once the human resources that had been here were fully utilized, there would be tremendous progress and prosperity in the Naga society, he believed.
Although he agreed there had been sporadic factional clashes and killings in the State, he asserted the citizens had almost peaceful lives unlike the past. This itself was a positive development, he added. He also stressed the importance of having peaceful environment, without which, he elucidated, no proper developmental activities would take place.
Agreeing the ups and down in the human lives, the Governor understood the complexities under which the State media had been functioning. But he was happy that the media in the State as a whole withstood outside force and maintained their professionalism. He was fully satisfied on the level of standard news coverage and the way the local papers had been giving extensive space to the views and opinions of the masses. This was a clear reflection of the certain level of freedom of expression, which was rarely seen in other places, he admitted. “This is a sign of advancement and progress of the Naga people and definitely that of the media quality that has been in practice in the State”, he said urging them to emphasize mostly on the developmental aspects.
Datta was however unhappy on not finding space of Nagaland stories in the national newspapers. The national media seemed more interested to bite the wrong tree that normally generated negative mindsets, as they seemed uninterested giving even a little space for any developmental activities of the State. “To them, Guwahati is northeast or Shillong is Northeast”, he lamented. “Thus covering a little bit from these areas is enough for them”. They had to change that mindset and focus mostly on the developmental progress, he asserted.
The Governor also told about the saddest part about the unfinished projects like Referral Hospital, IG Stadium, etc. during his Governorship in the State.
He also extremely regretted at failing to fulfill his visit to Noklak in Tuensang district. “I have visited fifteen places out of sixteen tribes’ places in Nagaland”, he mentioned. But he was so pained at failing to visit the Khiamnungan tribe at Noklak, although he had committed to visit them on January 28, 2007. “Due to my last hectic schedule, I have failed to fulfill that commitment”, he said.
“But I am very happy at least I could dance with them (Khiamnungan dance troupe) in my last Republic Day Program on January 26, 2007 at Secretariat Ground”.
He also said he learnt a lot from the Naga people. “I came to know more of them by staying here than I stayed in Delhi”, he said. They took time by observing the things and once they trusted, it remained permanent.
