Dr Asangba Tzüdir
It is not surprising to hear that Nagaland coming under special category state is the most financially needy state in Indian Union with over 72% classed as ‘marginal.’ The total receipt for the period 2015-2016 was Rs 7,360.08 crore. For long the state has been pampered by the centre and it has also negated the values associated with ownership and on the whole the depreciation of moral values. Ownership comes with a struggle along with a sense of moral responsibility. For now the idea of ownership seems to be tilting towards a sense of ‘owning’ often through means that are not ethically and morally justified.
The lack of a sense of ownership is a result of depreciating moral values. This lack has disrupted a meaningful existence because without it, life enriching values cannot be generated which is integral to positively transform a society. More importantly, it creates a healthy relationship with the associated socio-political, culture, religion, ethics and moral contours. This calls for sharing responsibilities generated through a morally driven sense of ownership.
Our society is slowly feeling the negative effects of our ‘self-manufactured’ issues and ‘voices’ are being raised in the pursuit of a positive revolution. But what needs to be addressed is the issue of sustenance. Failure to sustain is because of our failure to act collectively with a sense of moral responsibility and ownership. Thus, we have started a lot of positive things, but generally, we have failed to sustain the things we start in order to arrive at a desirable conclusion.
The lack of ownership finds in abundance. The most commonplace is littering, which itself shows that we do not love our land and thereby a testimony of our inability to inculcate ownership. Economically, so long as we are fed from the centre, Naga economic status will keep heading towards the pandemonium of economic dependency and it will be difficult to prick the conscience or bother about who controls the economy. ‘Others’ have taken advantage and exploited our economy because of our lack of sense of ownership. Politically, there are no clear principles or simply, what Nagas want, based on which Nagas can assert their ‘Rights’ in drawing a political identity. For instance, the protracted border issue is a pertinent case.
Another pressing concern is that, the workplace especially in the government sector finds itself neglected. The lack of work ethics in a space that is integral to growth and development has led to retarded growth. In such a state of affairs, the demand for 7th ROP is not justified especially for the ‘undeserving.’
Our society has reached a desperate point where we need to reclaim our status as a human and a moral being and thereby recreate the power of our moral selves. This would then create the desired impetus to act as morally responsible beings, to come together and to act collectively for a common good and for the good of the community.
In brief, the goal of envisaging a ‘good life’ for the Nagas should begin by inculcating a sense of ownership by way of sharing responsibilities. To this end, for generating ownership, we need to reclaim our values by identifying the true ‘value-content’ of our political, social, economic, religious and moral identity. For now the phrase, ‘strangers in our own land’ is an apt reminder of the ‘Naga condition’ today.
(Dr. Asangba Tzüdir contributes a weekly guest editorial to The Morung Express. Comments can be mailed to asangtz@gmail.com)
