Some of those who voted YES had this to say:
• Just the other day, an officer was insulted when he was not addressed as Shri…. I found this very funny and awkward. Maybe he was on his ego trip. How does it affect him when he is addressed as Shri? Does it change anything? NO, it does not change anything and rather it only makes him look more stupid. Shri is a Hindu expression. But today unless they are titled as Shri they feel insulted. Little knowledge is dangerous and our state is in a dangerous place. Now as a Christian state, should our politicians and bureaucrats be addressed as Shri? Maybe the NBCC should say something on this matter. In Nagaland I think they should use the title Sir/Madam or Enno.
• Its evident everywhere... be it in churches or social events or even in community meetings. We tend to be in awe of the positions and not the individuals.
• Yes, because the naga people do not know what they really want.
• Important is given very much to politician, bureaucrats, VIPs, cause society hoping for bright Naga future, on my part. Whether they do or not is on their part, for the welfare of the Naga Society.
• Yes, even the esteemed church has secret back door plots and unappreciated links with so called (unimportant) VVVVVIPS. Making them feel they’re above God.
• Yes, way too much. Cant we see that politicians and bureaucrats are human beings just like us with all weaknesses. There is no reason or need for us to make them into deities. We forget so easily that they are meant to be serving the people rather than the people serving them.
• As the leader they must do that.
• Yes, we should respect authority where and when its due, but unnecessarily giving too much importance due to their status and ill gained wealth makes them more hungry and greedy.
• Abuse of power leads to immorality and finally to the well-known dreadful disease. What a pity!
• Yes, the good traditional, abiding values of earning respect through truth, honesty, hardwork and dignity of labor has given way to materialism and its temporary representatives.
• Basically, my answer to the question is rather 'YES'. Because majority of our naga society still lack a sense of civility and that is the reason which makes them fail to figure out the simple knowledge about how society is formed and who runs and administer the society. Beside the majority of our naga's society primary concern is not in the society they live in, but their simple private activity and petty personal interest usually occupy their primary concern and the later become secondary. Lastly, they are not aware of how covetous achieve status (govt. servant n politician) is obtained. Therefore, they simply observe them (person mention in the question) as if they were their deity like a theocrats society.
• Yes, its disturbing and funny to see 55% naga Christians nearly worshipping elected leaders, like mainland Indians do. Don’t be surprised if one day statues and temples are built for them!
• Yes, nagaland is giving too much importance in politicians n vips because nagaland wants 2 be popular whole over the world and to make greater nagaland.
• 'YES' giving too much important to the politicians. We should not respect and worship our Politicians like God. Due respect should be given as a Minister but not like a God.
• Yes we are giving too much importance to them and now look at them, they all act so high and mighty since we give them respect thinking that they are officers. They are taking advantage of us when in fact they should be helping us since they are public servants. Sometimes we have to give them something or the other to have our work done when they should be doing it willfully since it is their duty. It is kind of funny how things work in our state.
• growth gap between classes become more visible with every passing hour
• Yes, when the nbcc gives special preferences to vip’s I think heaven is also only for vips. Too bad I am not a vip. Once a responsible naga officer said in public meeting that our cm is king; aren’t they public servant?
• Yes, what great fools are we that we give undeserved credit to those politicians and bureaucrats, and for what?? For eating up the public’s money! They are only human beings like us, not some super human..they breathe in the same air that we breathe..what makes them super powerful? By taking all the public ‘our’ money and then acting its theirs..especially their kid’s if the money which their parents have ‘white’ extorted from the public is theirs! I have no respect for such people and shame on our people for hero-worshipping those in-your-face corrupted politicians and bureaucrats.
• Just like the third-world countries, albeit replete with potentials and latency in terms of resources and capability yet being unable to stand on their own feet on all spheres of life and instead, prefer to illogically remain subservient to the advanced and influential countries. Likewise, the naga people respect for ministers, top bureaucrats and wealthy officials seem to know no bounds where quality doesn’t appear to be at all a factor but the factor of which quantity plays for bestowing overall respect on the aforesaid on the day-to-day life of nagas at large is like it or not, in reality, a common practice in paradoxical terms.
Some of those who voted NO had this to say:
• Basically my answer to the question is 'no'. Because majority of our naga society still lack to figure out the simple knowledge of social structure and its formation due to lack of civility.
• Cant say this is the case. I think because of our simplicity and naivety and coming from a strong culture where elders are respected, there is a tendency for people to showered similar respect to the politicians and bureaucrats. From the givers point of view, I think it is with no bad intention, but maybe from the receivers point of view, they tend to think it makes them more powerful.
Some of those who voted OTHERS had this to say:
• I dont understand how our Naga society has become so status and material consciousness. We seem to have lost out on the most basic values of life. No wonder our politicians and bureaucrats must realize that our public have made them larger than life, not because they are honest, hardworking people with integrity, but only because our people have acquired a misplaced understanding of status and power.
• How can we show respect to politicians, bureaucrats and VVIPS without overdoing it? Its quite simple actually. The politicians, bureaucrats and VVIPS should earn their respect. No one is entitled without earning the respect, love and trust of the people. In places like Nagaland the reality of the matter is that politicians, bureaucrats and VVIPS are the least trusted and most people just distaste their show of power. But people need them for their own individual survival and so in the open they showered such VVIPS with praises but in their own kitchen they curse them like nobody’s business. Its hypocrisy, but our politicians, bureaucrats and VVIPS think that they are being adored by all. What a fantasy.
• I feel sorry to admit our unscrupulous attitude when it comes to survival, thereby, crushing down our Christian ethicals…but being a corrupt myself, I do not feel the need to make a mockery of our government and the governed but sincerely appeal the readers to give an optimistic thought to this beautiful line: “change yourself and there will be one less fool in the world.”
