Joshua Sheqi Naga
“Are we waiting for our politicians to wake us up? If youths are sleeping, most of our politicians are in deeper slumber. To change another 5 years at hand, it’s now or never. Let’s get down to business with our politicians for common good.”
Election after every 5 (five) years as is laid down in our constitution has been going on. Every election has its own manifesto and propagandas. Many things have come and gone. Something was done for which we are what we are today. Our politicians surely must have lots of love for us, but I guess most is yet to be done; the reason? Naga Youths, if not few, were sleeping. There’s a way of waking up, if only the Naga youths would allow me to finish this write up in style by going through it. Some people say that problems and issues will remain the same. I will prove them wrong that we will change it, if every Naga youth would agree with me. Here’s how we can do it:
*Unemployment: I would blame our educated youths for unemployment problem, because we are the first one to look for easy money and personal benefit without yield, eg- Loans given out by government. (CAN YOU BELIEVE A POLITICIAN WHO WILL PROMISE GOVT JOB FOR EVERY FAMILY in this coming election campaign? Do you know that Nagaland has the highest ratio of government servants in India? How much is the return we are giving back to India for the money we are receiving? Most of the government servants keep on piling the files in the offices and idle their time away the whole day, month and year, and are busy like hell only when financial year comes! Who is to blame? Educated youths are to be blamed.) Government is the agent of the state who oversees developmental activities, it is a mediator, and so it should be the youths in general and public who should be the main players to keep the government active and busy, that which we are hardly doing.
Government should use the service and help of reliable NGOs even at the rural areas and impart training to the rural youths all kind of trades with proper follow up. Some NGOs have already started the effort, which is a positive step. This time let’s look out for a politician who has vision, practicable objective, and action oriented steps that would enable the success of the vision target. But we must work hard, there’s no alternative.
*Education system: Our education system is still evolving and much is being tried to improve the system, but as of now is very far from satisfactory. Our drop outs are nothing but burden; our graduates are mostly a burden to the society. The result competition is well appreciated, but it also has a negative impact by only forcing the students to memorize a bulk without making them understand exactly how the subject is to be understood. We hardly have technical institutes; the only few we have also suffer from shortage of tools and materials, and mostly are run half-heartedly. After more than 4 (four) decades of statehood, we are yet to have a single full fledged engineering college and medical college. I’m afraid promises were made many a times for setting up such, but will this always be a dream? Educated youths should not only confine yourself to your areas, let’s check the common policy for the Nagas in general too. We may not be politicians, but let’s use politics to our advantage and not become a political slave.
*Development: On the development front we are found more than wanting. Personal benefit has overrun the common benefit. Overground or underground, all talk about society’s benefit and do things on behalf of the masses, only that, it benefits no public. Nagas must be the best in portraying the beauty of socialism in words! Eg- Whatever be the excuse, I saw Indira Gandhi Stadium, Kohima under construction since when I was in class-1 (one) which was inaugurated only a couple years back, but what about the standard?! AND what about roads in Nagaland, are we all ignorant about norms? Can Naga Youths really be taken for a ride all the time? Are the contractors only the one to blame? Who is the loser? Nagas in general, especially the Naga youths are the losers. Let’s wake up to reality.
*Corruption: People in other states are framed and penalized even for few thousand Rupees, well, how about siphoning off Crores of Rupees in Nagaland?! Who should check all these corruption? The government machinery has literally failed. I am not a politician whose opinion should be misinterpreted. Every political party and subsequent governments has failed to check corruption. Am I saying that corruption can be completely uprooted? But have we in general honestly sincerely attempted to uproot it? How many educated youths sincerely cooperated when the NSF (Naga Students Federation) called for agitation to uproot corruption in the highest recruiting body (NPSC) in the state. I appreciate the sincere effort by our Ex-President Mr. Phushika Awomi and his team, but it was a lackluster show, because of the Naga educated youth’s indifference and ignorance. Can any politician with his given ability or might contain the growing number of educated unemployed every year? Leave aside luxury, but when the need to survive everyday with a square-meal becomes a challenge, expect the unexpected. Which government or organization with all its might or individual is confident enough to contain it?
*Anti-Social elements: So many factors contribute to the growth of antisocial elements; viz. wrong education, wrong politicians, corruption in the government agencies, NGOs, Students organizations, church, western influence, etc, etc.
Anti-Social elements at the moment can be best controlled by dedicated NGOs and Youth Ministries, with the help of a real concerned government, not which would help this effort with Rs.1000/- and gobble up Rs.1,00,000/-. Practical programs and policies should be initiated for educated or uneducated rural youths with essential trainings and follow ups. This should be done by regular participation in person with the trained youths. If the anti-social elements are transformed into ‘useful Social Elements’ the problem of illegal immigrants will take care of itself in a good way without even raising a finger! Sounds good isn’t it? A little humility can change it all.
*Sky-Rocketing price of essential commodities: Who gives a damn when essential commodities are running out of reach from common people like us; the majority. Shouldn’t this be the concern of the government and public? Why are the citizens suffering quietly? It is in contravention of our fundamental rights, especially Article 14, Right to Equality and Article 21, Right to life and personal liberty. What’s wrong with the competent machineries? Why are the goods and commodities of all kinds much cheaper in Imphal when they have to cross our state all the way from Guwahaty? I blame the Naga youths for ignorance as well as foolish pride and also the public in general. I can’t smile whenever I go shopping, once in a blue moon. Hardly any government have addressed this, it’s time they do.
*Attitude of youths: Shouldn’t we be considered X-Generation intellectually more than in appearance? Appearance is deceiving that’s why the way we have being fooled by our leaders makes it quite clear; “Naga youths are physically extraordinarily dressed but intellectually naked.” Does it hurt you? Remember the future belong to you and me. When I was a little boy, my mom bathed me and clothed me. Can she do that to me now in my late 20s? Why are we only waiting for someone to spoon-feed us? It’s time that we catch our own bread. It’s time that we identify public funds and schemes, public property, public benefit, personal benefit and societal development. Corruption is just a step away to be domesticated with the change of attitude by the youths. We have a common language problem for which English cannot be avoided, but let’s remember an American tourist who wrote, “Nagas are shamelessly westernized”! Let’s be a Natural Naga in thought and in practice and determine our future by working hand in hand, and even criticize our leaders if we must. Many Naga youths feels shy to be called Nagas when they go outside. Is any politician listening? Let’s not appreciate other’s kitchen and condemn ourselves. There’s no benefit, whatsoever.
Enough advantage has been taken upon the Nagas. Half baked political agents have had their share. It’s time the educated Naga Youths study the programs and policies of the political parties and candidates and play advanced politics. We don’t need politicians who would promise us a utopian world. We want an action oriented politician whose plan is feasible and practicable. Political parties accuse each other of breakdown of Law and Order problem, but it’s funny because none of them have tasted success in this field. Naga killing a Naga cannot be justified in any manner, because every killing has selfish motive.
We have played enough of primitive politics that benefit only few and impoverish 90%. Let’s make use of what we have studied and the politics we are seeing everyday around the world and apply whichever can be applied in our given society for posterity. Solution is at our doorstep. Let’s take the Nagas ahead. Intellectual revolution should go hand in glove with all round development for 90% of the people to benefit. If the educated youths really decide we can work with our politicians to even bring multi-national companies which will also solve unemployment. We must avert the colossal burden which is on the verge of falling upon us.
