Jonas Yanthan
The ensuing Nagaland State Assembly election 2023 is the 5th Election in this 21st century, the first being held in 2003. Two decades of political life in the new century, we have not witnessed much change in the lives of the people except in the change of leadership, Parties, candidates, the ULB election inferno and the dubious or better said mischievous Changpang oil issue. What was prominent in the 2018 regime was the Covid pandemic and the other was the flimsily acclaimed ‘Opposition-less’ Government. Our politicians and general public might have thought that opposition-less government was a major success but in point of fact it was the most denigrating of all that had happened. The only person or group that benefited from the opposition-less ministry was the Chief Minister and his ruling regime at the expense of the general public and dismembering of NPF party. With no opposition members in the Assembly, there was no one to challenge or question the wrong intents or misadventures, if any, of the Ruling Bench. The NPF, with a sizable number in the Assembly should have remained firm as opposition for the sake of public welfare and the Party’s sake but failed miserably because of the majority members’ unsteady mentality and graze for power. NPF party members failed to understand that in a democratic system of government there has to be an opposition party in the Assembly for the sanctity of the Assembly or Parliament. Opposition party in the government is an essential feature of Democracy because the ruling members, whichever party it may be, are not angels but culpable human beings. There is no reason good enough to justify the opposition-less government except to fool the innocent public. Whoever in the opposition bench had mooted for merger or defection to form an opposition-less government has not come from a farsighted politician but from a short-sighted narrow, vested interest minded person. It was a cheap politics as it is far from interest of the people. The rank and file along with its party workers must denounce such foolish moves in future for a secure robust government and judicious channelization of public funds and at the same time understand that being in the opposition does not mean that his or her constituency will be deprived of development because central funds come for the whole State and not for the ruling party constituencies alone. In fact, in the present scenario of dishonesty and corruption, a soul searching upright tough opposition member can bring more development to his constituency and the State than a ruling member and also such MLA or MLAs can even unseat a government if need be.
Everyone in our society, beginning with the politicians, talks about the much needed change in Nagaland but it is not happening. The reason is change, like the idea of peace, is a value and an objective only. It cannot come about or happen by talking about it but has to be created. It can happen only by doing things and legislating policies that help bring about change. If we truly want progress and change to happen in our society then the primary need is in addition to integrity and discipline of the politicians, they must have the vision as well as dare to adopt innovative good policies and the other is planning holistically for the State to effect change. Lack of holistic planning and roadmap has resulted in wasteful piece meal exercises. Without roadmap, no government is going to take the State anywhere except to social and economic disparity. Disproportionate distribution of funds among the districts, neglect of priority infrastructures and misuse of developmental funds results from lack of common development roadmap. So far, no Chief Minister or ruling government in the State has ever come out with a roadmap as to how to develop the State. I hope the new House will take up this issue in right earnest if they are truly honest and interested in developing the State.
Amidst hopelessness, we all desire for progress and change; the question is how? To my mind, the way out is firstly, the general public must proactively be critical of the government’s functioning instead of remaining mute spectators. Be bold to correct the Chief Minister or Ministers, cutting across all tribal lines, for any wrong doings because they are allotted Ministerial or Advisory post to administer the whole State and not his or her District, Tribe or one’s constituency alone. Secondly, as a long drawn measure, public need to be empowered politically, socially and economically which can be achieved by conducting marathon state-wide seminars, awareness campaign on both central and State schemes, workshops etc., as part of human resource development which may be initiated by the respective Deputy Commissioners, Nagaland University, Tribal Hohos and the various Unions of villages formed by citizens residing in Kohima and Dimapur. Thirdly, to move the whole State towards progress and change at a revolutionary mode we require one person. We all know that we can’t expect everybody to change immediately nor can we change everybody automatically; to change everyone in the society requires time. The question is who can be that one person to embark on the road towards change and progress. For instance, the success of any team work depends mainly on the quality and character of its leader. Similarly, the strength or weakness of any office depends on the Head of office or Director. We notice here that a change, good or bad, does not come from many or group of employees but their leader/Director and at the Departmental level, it is the Secretary or the Commissioner Secretary.
At the State level, we have the Chief Minister, as the head, who is armed to the teeth with all legal and constitutional authority, the only person who is also elected twice in a row; first by the constituency and second by the elected party MLAs, who becomes the Leader of the House. The one man who can bring this drastic change in the State has to be the Chief Minister and no one else. I am not saying this for the sake of saying. Look at the world map critically and analytically and you will notice that some of the countries that are rich in resources are still underdeveloped and poverty stricken like the African countries and the only reason is because their leaders are selfish or inefficient baptized by factionalism and Tribalism. In contrast, countries that have less or no substantial resources are far better developed and the only reason for it is because of one factor called “good and vibrant leadership”. We say Nagaland is one of the oldest States in the Union of India but is still far behind our neighboring new born States in regard to infrastructure and development. The reason is not because our neighbors have more resources than us but it can only point to one truth; the kind of leadership they have. Our poor infrastructure and impoverish rural areas with no water supply or roads even after sixty years of statehood invariably points to the kind of politicians and leaders that we had and have. Does Neiphiu Rio have the leadership caliber of the 21st century to bring the change and excellence he talks about or is there anyone among the contesting candidates with that fire of leadership who is beyond the confines of one’s tribal kitchen, beyond self-aggrandizement to actualize the change to usher in peace and progress of our people?
