Sangti Konyak
What we ask from our politicians and what we expect from them to do for our community? Reality inside Nagaland!!
“Mr. Anyam” was an ambitious young boy, who graduated back in the year 2000, soon after his graduation, he decided to sit for the civil service exam and start his preparation for exam day and night. However, since he was a very active student leader while inside the university campus and being someone who was always considered as a future leader by his community because of his bold attitude and good leadership quality, his friends and elders perpetually approached him for any kind of paper works, activities and for brainstorming any development related discussions. As he continued his battle to balance his time for his career and his community, his thoughts was however ruined after seeing the hardships his people faced each day and he soon decided to get involved in politics and fight for the right of his people. The more interaction he made with his people, the more discouraged he became listening to all the stories about the poor health care services, terrible road conditions, unavailability of teachers in the Govt. run schools and many other issues related to basic needs of his community.
It was in the year 2002, when he got elected to be the Gen. Secy. Of one strong political party of his constituency and later in the year 2003, when the state election was held, his party came into power with a huge margin. Though, he was very new in the field of politics, he was like anyone of us who grew up longing to see good roads, proper electricity and good infrastructure in state. Soon after his party came into the power he became more stimulated to bring that change he has always dream as a young boy for his people and seeing the enthusiasm and determination in him, the party choose him again to be the personal secretary of the elected MLA.
In May, 2003 when he joined the office of the sitting MLA as his PS, he was shocked to see how lakhs of Rupees the state Govt. received have been diverted and misutilized. He began to remember how he as a student leader in the past has struggled saving few hundred from his scholarship just to buy books and pencils for the students of Govt. middle schools and to see crores of money being sanctioned for his locality without implementing any works, he became more upset and soon decided to set up an implementation committee to crosscheck every penny of the funds alloted for the developmental activities.
Unaware about the reality he will come across, Mr. Anyam was working whole day and night, meeting the best consultant, stake holders and elders from the state to transform and for more impactful implementation of the schemes. After 10 months of continuous paper works, the first installment of the LADF was received. The news about the release of first installment of LADF became a hot topic in every household at his locality, day after day more visitors flooded the private residence of the local MLA, some students came asking for pocket money, student leaders came requesting for a sponsorship of the next General meeting, many church youth departments came selling a packet of tea leaves, namkeen and bamboo made hard brooms as a fund raise for the upcoming youth convention, some youths came asking for sports kits for their football club, mother association came asking to sponsor for printing of silver jubilee souvenir books and Church leaders came requesting for a financial assistance for the church building construction.
“Sir, we don’t have any separate funds for sponsoring Silver Jubilee celebration, General meetings, church building construction etc. how you have managed to handle all their expenditure?” asked Mr. Anyam to his MLA. “Sabee, eman tho moi logo the be kot pora poisa thaki bo, sob LADF laga tho he use kuree desay” MLA replied, he continued.. I cannot pay 1000 Rs. for Silver Jubilee celebration, do you think the public will vote for me in the next election if I donate only that amount? Asked the MLA, 50% of the first installment fund is gone now, from the remaining 50% I have to keep at least 10% for buying rations to feed our party workers who will be here by next week “MLA laga ghor tay khalee aloo, dal khelei lay sob hasai debo tho” he joked. Disappointed, Mr. Anyam made a way towards the exit door without a word, but to his surprise, there were again another 3 gentlemen waiting outside the office. Being aware about the reason why they are in the office, he asked “from which organization, Sir” and the gentleman replied “We are freedom fighters and we are here to discuss about the National issues”.
3 and half years gone, Mr. Anyam continued to work day and night, hoping he will somehow sow the seeds of change in the state but the words of his party leaders as well as the public keep changing after distribution of every work plan. The rush in the private residence of MLA and his office increase year after year, some for sponsorship, some for fund raise, some for financial assistance and some came asking for job through backdoor appointment.
4 years later, a meeting was held soon after the new year 2007 celebration, frustrated with so many donations, fund raise and misutilization of funds by the public and his party workers, MLA shaab announced that he will keep 50% of any funds received from the Central for the next election and requested the gathering not to be discouraged if they receive less donation from his office for a year. With a broken heart Mr. Anyam was helplessly listening his speech, he realized how both he and his MLA have tried for implementation of the program in his locality and how the public responded to their proposals. The leaders and village elders who were present in a meeting however were seen shouting and cheering in support of the MLAs’ decision, after all they knew that they are going to be benefitted directly or indirectly with whatever amount the MLA saved for the next election, and next day a press release was made in the front page of the local newspaper with a very traditional caption “public of XYZ unanimously reaffirm to elect Mr. ABC in the next election”.
Disappointed with how the society judge and blames the politicians for all the problems in the state, he resign the office after 5 years and decided never to involved in the state politics again.
At the end of the day, we are all partly responsible for the mess in the state. What if the student union organize the general session with just a cup of tea and snacks rather than asking our MLA and Minister for sponsorship and wasting so much of resources in it, what if many unions and organizations plans to organize the jubilee event according to their limited budget, what if the political party workers implement funds like LADF and MGNREGA more effectively without trying to make a maximum profit from it, what if Church leaders just focus on Church Ministry rather than trying to compete in building huge church, what if our national workers stop dreaming of the luxury and easy money and continue to keep the aspiration of Naga movement alive?
The election wave is soon going to come, let us stop murdering a leader like “Mr. Anyam” who with a vision will join the state politics in the next election.
Thank you for reading! God Bless Nagaland.!!
