Vekho P. Ringa
One of the more remarkable features of our Naga Idol system is the way it has allowed and even encouraged the proliferation of young aspiring singers in providing a platform to expose their talents and its endeavour to bring the different tribe of Nagaland under one theme, “Come Together.” Naga Idol is an arena of competition, where music career are built, talent expose and time for aspirants for recognition and public attraction. This is something relatively unique to Nagaland, as each Naga Idol season progresses.
But the way the selection of idol done through voting card systems has become so widespread that the whole system is vastly viewed by public at large as commercialized. One way or another, the song competition has been diverted to vote card competition. Someone earlier commented the voting system as “too embarrassing and despicable! If it does not stop, the Naga Idol will only be Naga Idiot bought with money by Naga Idiots.”
The very ubiquity of the activity puts pressure on participants and fans as well to sell voting cards in it for fear that avoiding it will bring adverse shame as much as they want to win the contest. This is not a phenomenon confined to the rich or the middle classes participants. It seems that even in less-privileged circumstances, the pressures to sell voting card are just as great, if not greater.
There are numerous cases where voting cards for fellow contestant are sold through door to door, promoting tribalism, ignoring spirit of competition and the comment renders by the judges seems useless. Where the participants themselves buy as much as they want, there is direct conflict of interest, the good and really talented participants are eliminated, but the rich they typically buy much more than the regular participants, sadly, could buy the Naga Idol. This practice is something that is evident, which will be difficult to uproot simply because of the widespread acceptance, and even complicity, of all those involved.
The peculiar song competition culture where competitive pressure and high aspirants combine to create a milieu in which buying votes is seen as a maximum requirement for Naga Idol achievement. Yet, it is a problem that must be addressed because it has many negative effects. Dependence on voting cards may even be the most important feature militating against better quality of competition. “Voting card system is the murder of character and is like a day light robbery. This system should be changed. This system is not a Naga Idol, it is a rich men’s Idol,” a comment on weekly poll says.
In addition, voting card system is obviously deeply inequalising because better-off family are able to afford “more” voting cards or even afford it at all. And it places a significant additional financial burden to genuine less-privileged participants even when the actual participation is ostensibly free.
No doubt, Naga Idol has always been a huge success with the public showing their immense interest in viewing the video recordings of the idol contestants on cable TV and voting for their favourite contestants. This year inclusion of district partners from all 11 district of Nagaland is something to be appreciated. Never forget that over the years it has grown mature.
Nevertheless we can still select a better Naga Idol if it is selected through the suggestions and opinions of the general public in the form of SMS as has been done in the case of American Idol or let the penal of judges choose the most appropriate Idol accordingly base on their performances. By this system we would have much more respect and honour for the selected Naga Idol.
Obviously, if this situation is to change, more measures are needed. A complete overhaul of not just the Voting system but even more importantly counting judges point and spirit of true competition is called for. Even this may not be enough because; we first have to change ourselves to combact these tendencies.
