Morung Express News
Dimapur | October 20
The 3rd general conference of the Dimapur Ao Lanur Telongjem (DALT) was held on October 20 at the IMC Hall.
The inaugural session had Minister for Higher & Technical Education Temjen Imna Along Longkumer and the Commissioner of Police, Dimapur Limasunep Jamir as special guests-cum-motivational speakers.
Minister Longkumer, in his address, upheld the youth as the beacon of hope for the future. In the framework of the present situation in Nagaland, he posed, “Does the Dimapur Ao Lanur Telongjem has the vision to look and work beyond your times (as youth)?”
Stating that progress and prosperity cannot happen if one is self-seeking, he said that as the torchbearers of the future, he said that the Naga youth of today must work for all-round change in the society – politically, economically and socially.
“We talk of unity and change in almost every public convention but talking alone will bring no result.”
For change to occur everyone must contribute and for that “we have to change our mindset first,” he said. While stating that wholehearted introspection and retrospection would pave the way for the change as imagined, he added that taking a moral high ground, by word and by deed, and sustaining it irrespective of the challenges should serve as the basis for a prosperous Nagaland.
Having said that, he reminded that there must be a harmonious blend of traditional culture and modernity where Naga traditional virtues go hand in hand with progress and development.
As a legislator his vision has been to serve the people, at the same time, he added, “Everyday I question myself, ‘How can I contribute to my constituency, range, tribe and the Nagas at large?’”
The change as imagined, he said, should come from all stakeholders, who must work towards acquiring a strong economy. For that to happen, he said that a proper economic policy should be in place. As for the present, he submitted to the fact that Nagaland is entirely dependent on financial dole-outs from the Centre. “All we do is begging from Delhi,” he said.
Commissioner of Police Jamir regarded the present day as an “age of bewilderment” where change is occurring “but we have no idea where it is headed to.” According to him, “technological disruption” brought on by rapid advances in technology has impacted politics and economics. He cited the instance of how a seemingly harmless social media post or comment would result in era defining incidents or even tragic outcomes.
“In such a situation, where are we?” he asked.
On the economy of the state, he asserted that the present “narrative” of clamouring for government jobs must be replaced by a move towards entrepreneurial ability and self-reliance. “We are struggling today because we have no economic self reliance (but) once we have economic self reliance, socio-economic progress will follow.” “Getting out of the comfort zone, charting the unknown with principles intact and maintaining our identity” should be the mantra, he said.
