Joshua Sheqi Naga
“Just as the bone is to the flesh and salt is to a tasty pork curry, and the absence of one defeats the cause of the other; in a scenario like Nagaland, enhancing the age of joining service and retirement age without addressing the LENGTH OF SERVICE defeats the cause of justice itself. It is at best, a child born dead.”
So far as the press war is concerned (with due apology from selfish officers and office-goers) those simply appreciating the ‘Cabinet’s Landmark Decision’ are driven by selfishness and greed without considering the fate of the general youths and the society where they are living. Personal opinions before shared should first consider to the least; principles of Natural justice, i.e. Right to Life and personal liberty and Right to Equality. The human society even needs dogs, pigs, cats, chicken etc, and wild animals to coexist together to make a world a beautiful place to live in. At the moment, in the absence of companies and industries and law and order problem scaring the private firms investing in Nagaland the only 95% option is to rely on government jobs. Under such circumstances, when the temper within is on the verge of explosion and the struggle for basic needs is at its zenith, the youths expect the right wisdom from the leaders, influential people and lawmakers to meet the needful.
The cabinet’s decision to enhance the age of joining service and the retirement age is to be appreciated on many grounds, but if it doesn’t address the length of service, it would be like pursuing justice for 5% and aggrieving 95% deserving innocent subjects. When justice is said to be delivered the very cause of it should not be defeated. We know that age tempering case is fashionable practice for office-goers; and it makes no difference in fixing the retirement age at 57, because most are retiring at around or nearly 70 years of age. Without accepting the terms of “length of service”, the State Government Cabinet’s decision is a time bomb in waiting to blast. Just visualize; with the enhancement of retirement age, now most would be retiring roughly at 80 years or till the grave with the help of a dynamite; ‘Age Tempering’! Eg: One of the top official is due to retire next year, his elder brother another top official heading a certain department still has more than 3 (three) years to serve!!!
The Cabinet’s Decision at best without addressing the length of service is enhancing the ‘age of joining service’ to 35 years, because that directly or indirectly encourages specialization and professionalism. Especially for those pursuing further degrees and courses who would in return be a great asset to the government are compelled to shorten their studies to join the government service for fear of becoming overaged, which is a general loss. Indeed the enhancement of retirement age is also greatly helping this category of people and others who would join the service late, yet without fixing the LENGTH OF SERVICE it would with best argument help the least. The government should tap the best resources for its good and its people, and should stick to whichever is earlier; age or length of service, only then the real justice is delivered. If we truly want progress and development everyone should be given fair chance to prove themselves.
I am taken aback by the blind appreciations coming from here and there on the state Cabinet’s Decision, especially by CANSSEA and its sub-confederates; citing the example of so and so forth. I want to question the organizations and individuals with no proper vision. As you forget yourself for just 5 minutes and visualize, where do you see Nagaland in the next 10-20 years? I am personally not an enthusiast to join the government service, so don’t take my opinion otherwise. Nagaland a dry state in every aspect produces a great number of educated unemployeds every year. If these Naga assets are not used wisely, I must say we haven’t seen killing in Nagaland! Where are we heading to? I hope you understand. Why are our old people who must be wise and guide us trying to leave a dirty legacy behind? In your death, we’ll be fighting over your grave! Please use your right wisdom and retire. Study at least some African nation’s history instead of thinking about money everyday from dawn to dusk; you’re standing on an avalanche.
I cite a case of the Honorable Supreme Court of India; in Yeshwant Singh Kothari (Appellant) Vs State Bank of Indore and others (Respondent) with Civil Appeal No. 128 of 1993, Ananth Panse (Appellant) Vs State Bank Of Indore And Others (Respondents) with Civil Appeal No. 129 of 1993, Ramchandra Verma (Appellant) Vs State Bank Of Indore and others (Respondents) Civil appeal Nos. 127, 128 and 129 of 1993, decided on January 14, 1993.
In this case, according to SBI’s Uniform directive, the length of service for an employee is 30 years (for gainful employment) and the retirement age fixed at 58, whichever is earlier. The appellants challenged this decision because of retiring before attaining the age of 58. The appellants contended that it is a case of excessive delegation of power to SBI, alleging the violation of their rights. However, the decision in short- the Honorable Supreme Court was satisfied with the SBI for upholding the fundamental rights; article 14 (Right to Equality and equal protection of laws) and article 16 (Equal opportunities in matters of public employment). The Honorable Supreme Court also held that for any gainful employment, 30 years of service is good enough. The case was dismissed.
Coming back to NSF’s demand; the respected Naga Students’ Federation has a specific demand to extend the length of service to 33 years, which in all respect is reasonable beyond doubt, leaving the age of retirement to the wisdom of the government to stick to whichever is earlier. That would in return fulfill the criteria laid down under article 14 and 16 (discussed above) of the Constitution of India and worldwide.
As is understood in the case of Nagaland, even reducing the age of retirement from 60 or 57 to 50 will not help, because age tempering supported by high-flown Commissioners and Secretaries of the State government is possible. There are even instances in Nagaland where an infant boy had retired from service and rejoined the service as an adult!!! If the state government is listening; to please the 5% you should not aggrieve and victimize 95% of the innocent public (inclusive of Nagas in general). We as youths are looking up on the government to apply the right wisdom. We are also observing to what extent the NSF can resist temptation in this Battle of Waterloo.
Every successive Nagaland government has failed miserably on many points and areas where they accuse each other. The state government should at least be wiser than the half-baked village councils and its selfish members, who display their incompetence in local dailies by publishing the resolutions of the Village Council without consulting the general public, as though they are Louis XVI, followed by counter refutations and allegations. Whatever, the state government and its cabinet is passing in the Legislative Assembly should reflect justice and fairness to all. For the sake of Justice Naga Youths should not be buried alive.
The present Cabinet’s decision to check excessive appointment in departments is highly appreciated. However, when viewed from the other angle, it is seen as a cause of self defeating stance. For instance, how the Cabinet Ministers are satisfied with one of the most corrupted department in Nagaland, the PHQ and make the Power Department a scapegoat. Leave aside politics, but if justice is to be delivered every department have excess employees if I am not mistaken, and every successive government has miserably failed to check this. When 100 people have equally committed wrong, should 5 people be penalized and 95 persons go Scott free? Is that justice?
Every Naga youth with pulse of life flowing in them should analyze and see what’s best for us. The Naga society without even a hinge of doubt can envisage a civil war in the near future if our youths doesn’t wake up, and the few privileged continue to be blind to ground realities trampling upon the suffering lots. We have to work together to avoid such full scale disaster by doing few good things, one at a time in our everyday lives. Little drops of water make the mighty ocean.
