Morung Express News
Dimapur | March 20
In connection with its mission of “Doing Right,” the Sumi Kiphimi Kuqhakulu (SKK) on Saturday organized ‘Lotsumi Kukuputsa’ (Intellectuals’ Meet) at Town Hall, Dimapur and deliberated on the four agendas of its mission.
The four agendas on which four resource persons talked included clean election; ban on proxy teachers, clean and sincere execution of public offices and institutions; and right implementation and execution of all contract works under right specifications.
The issues are to be taken up in all Sumi inhabited areas. Resource person Justice H. K. Sema, former Judge, Supreme Court of India said the election system in Nagaland State is a “mockery of democratic process” which would continue unless people change their mindset. He said every educated person is capable of doing right if s/he so desires and urged upon educated youngsters to correct wrongdoings, in their own capacity.
Stating that value based education was a product of good teaching, he wondered how value based education could be brought about while teachers still practise proxy system.
Justice H.K. Sema spoke about the urgent need to have Nagaland State Human Rights Commission, Law Commission and Lokayukta. He said that the need for human rights commission was needed more in Nagaland which has frequent cases of police/army atrocities and other anti-social elements.
He also reminded about the recent notification of Nagaland Government which stated that a person can be appointed a GB only after s/he attains the age of 40. The retired judge said this particular notification was contravening Article 371 (A) and contradicting the customary practices of the Sumi community which appoints GBs on a hereditary basis. Expressing happiness about SKK’s mission, he urged upon the student leaders not to give up halfway and pursue their goal till it reaches logical conclusion.
Commissioner & Secretary, Works & Housing, Himato Zhimo IFS said that for a student to do right, the number one priority is to study right. He also encouraged students to take up vocational courses side by side, as skill development was important when it comes to employability. He also discouraged seeking backdoor appointment.
K.T. Sukhalu IAS, Vigilance Commissioner, said that SKK’s mission is a “herculean task” but it is not impossible if all stakeholders are desirous of positive change, and extended their cooperation and support.
On education, he said the government was providing funds but the failure lay in the implementation. He said Village Education Committees (VECs) were set up with good intention but many VECs are not functioning as expected. H.K. Khulu IAS Additional Chief Secretary (Retd) said, “To do right, one has to introspect what went wrong earlier and then carry forward the objective with strong resolve and sincerity.”
He asked students not to be discouraged even if their mission could not be fully achieved during the current tenure since it is a mammoth task.
On proxy system, he said that students and quality education become casualty when proxy teachers were set in place. He also spoke about landowner problem, multiple and unauthorized taxation as a hindrance to development. Khulu asked students to be “modern, scientific and open minded and cut the negativity.” Western Sumi Hoho, President, Hokiye Yeptho also exhorted the gathering.
In his address, SKK President, Ninoto Awomi appealed people to extend their cooperation towards the mission of “Doing Right.”
