Akhumse A Sangtam
Livingstone Foundation International College
Once again it is time for us to exercise our precious votes (one of the greatest tool in democracy), to elect/choose leaders who would be our voices; with a hope that they will do well for us and our progeny. Nagaland is considered as one of the most corrupted states in the country and the onus lies on us to alter this tag. Voting for the wrong person/party would be a five-year mandate of suffering in silence. Therefore, it is wisdom that tells us to vote for the right and suitable leader in order to avoid the misery, but choice is ours.
Looking at the annual budget, Nagaland receives enough, if not excess funds from the Central government. Where are most of these funds used? Especially funds and schemes meant for the grass-root public hardly reach them. It is in fact an open secret they get consumed by those in power – the so called leaders (at different levels) and the existing parallel government. Time for Nagas to practice what we preach, otherwise become a silent spectator to all atrocities meted out to ourselves. It indeed disheartens me to see our people going to vote based on the financial status of candidates, for the reason that today they are in need of some few thousands, selling off their next five years of development and prosperity. Many parties around the state are resorting to violence even to the extent of killing one another. Why are we risky lives? Is it worth your life? Ponder once before such steps are taken by you. The environment of violence which the election has created reminds me of how head-hunting days would have been: and we call ourselves as civilized and modern.
One more aspect I see in this election is regarding women candidates contesting the election. We have never had an elected woman MLA in our legislative assembly till date. Is this election going to be different? Is the deficiency of equal gender representation going to be removed? Is the Naga patriarchal society which professes to believe in gender equality seeing a shift in favour of the other gender? I believe political equality which is the essence of any democratic set up, needs to be placed in the Naga society too. To achieve this, we need strong, reliable and morally responsible leaders, and not individuals who are running public office for their own personal gain. Leaders who have the ability to think and look beyond their selfish-interests, would also bring solutions to the problems staring at the faces of common Nagas. Otherwise, even though we have been freed from the colonial British, we cannot be truly free. We cannot put the blame on anyone else for this situation we are in, but us….
This brings me to the conclusion regarding this election, as a first time voter- we need to cast our votes to the right and upright candidate(s) and not jeopardize our next five years. If true leaders emerge I believe we will definitely see a prosperous Nagaland- the dream of most of the youths like me. Therefore, let us not fail to go and cast our vote, because ‘ONE VOTE CAN CHANGE THE EQUATION’.
