Atsung Imchen
Kolkata
2016 has not ended yet and newspapers are already flooded with this and that constituency stating their open support to a particular candidate and the irony is that they consider it as a step towards “Clean Election”. Talk about getting the wrong message and this will be the peak of it.
When they’ve decided to support a particular candidate where does “Clean Election” comes in the picture? When they have decided to support a particular candidate it not only smears the very process of clean election with dirt but it is a dictatorial move to suppress an individual right and freedom of choice. Clean election is not just about an election without the use of money to buy votes but creating an environment where each and every individual can exercise his/her right without any influence or pressure to vote for the person he/she deems fit, unless this basic steps are met, it’s an insult to what clean election stands for and to those who has been working tirelessly to achieve this goal.
This issue requires a revolt, not on the lines of violence but more on the lines of the youths, the educated new generation Naga’s who have seen the dirt and stench of how Naga’s land is rotting due to incompetent leaders, rebelling against such practices will not only show that we are not defenseless but also not afraid to fight the wrong that has been going for far too long in our land.
The one lakh rupees or whatever amount was given to you during the election will not bring a hospital in your district which could have saved your father, mother, brother, sister, that one lakh rupees is not going to bring quality electricity to your house, that one lakh rupees is not give your son and daughter the much deserved job he/she deserves because the job was given to someone who had a connection with a big shot and so on. That one lakh rupees is not worth losing all those mentioned above and those that follows.
We’ve talked enough of corruption, we’ve talked enough of how corruption has been the cause of many problems, from basic health services missing to backdoor appointments, bad roads, poor electricity services, pathetic infrastructure etc. we had enough of it. Come 2018, it will be a showdown between the young and the old and it will be a sight to see. Come 2018 we will see if the Naga people have opened their eyes and do not elect those same old incompetent leaders or we’ll head back to the same old circle of hue and cry even when we had a chance to stop all that.
Now is the time for the youths, those Students Unions, those youth leaders and organization to step up and raise their voice in their respective constituency and say “NAY!!” to all the malpractices including this open support to a single candidate, this open mockery of democracy.
Our fate lies in our hand and we’ve to fight for it. (On a side note, it would be very much appreciated if print Medias do not support such practices by printing those open declarations by so and so constituencies when it goes against the basic freedom of the people.)
