Z. Lohe
I am heartily congratulating the Ao Union, Dimapur (Ao Senso Telongjem, Dimapur) for the wise, conscientious and remarkable decision on prohibition of inviting VIPs as chief guest to social gatherings of Aos living in Dimapur District. Till I do this I continue to feel something amiss as though a reformative breakthrough is allowed to flow down the stream with waste without being noted by others. After a very long spell, the Ao citizens in Dimapur area volunteered to break the ice disassociating itself from chief guest culture which has become a prerequisite of Naga functions. The decision to do away with VIP chief guest culture looks simple and yet it has benevolence and its share of positive ramifications as it has attempted to do away with an ingredient of the present day menace.
As I understand the logic behind the decision, I am sure there was no ulterior motive either lacking confidence in their leaders nor their hatred towards them prompted the ASTD to take such decision. Moreover, even when the ASTD continues to tax the VIPs as every organization does including some churches without sense of shame or punctuations, who the hell will blame the Union as the practice has become the accepted fashion.
Yet, as a conscience keeper and as a responsible organisation of the most advance tribe in Nagaland, a very befitting decision was taken. The decision is relevant to the situation prevailing in Nagaland requiring a beginning of such measure as there is no semblance of the State Govt. taking cognizance of the precarious financial condition. The decision is nothing less than reformative and austerity measure. The prudent decision is imperative in view of the dire need of austerity measures in the midst of the popular Govt. having consecutive Annual Plan holidays. Such decision is imperative in view of the popular Govt. being unable to pay salary to its regular employees for months together.
In the light of severe resource crunch, the popular Govt. is expected to handle it sensitively and on war footing with befitting austerity measures. Whereas, in lieu of initiating massive austerity measures, the popular Govt. has unfortunately taken sufficient anti-austerity decisions which had adverse impact on the already empty coffer. The way how the present day Govt. manages the affairs of Nagaland is observed as though the benefits of Statehood are exclusively meant for the privileged strata of society as drops of benefits have virtually failed to permeate down to the underprivileged majority lot.
Had people in any other State in India faced similar situation being faced by citizens in Nagaland, there would have been public upheaval without hesitation. The Govt. is for the public and the ministry remains so long the people are satisfied with its performance. The public has the power to bring the ministry to its knees when found wanted. Yet, the general public has remained subdued spectator. One of the reasons why we become helpless in the face of maltreatment by the elected Govt. is our rights were decommissioned in every election. What else the public can do even when people in power refused to grant your due share of money, when people in power embezzled your 10% matching grant whereby you do not get salary for months together and when your basic amenities as health care, education, power, drinking water and road are in total shambles. Even though regular employees do not get salary for half a year in certain Departments, none raises a voice. It is indicative that many Govt. employees do not consider salary as money or as required as they can survive without salary. No wonder.
As it is, one cannot expect a better situation sooner because of the ground reality that the politicians and the bureaucrats of today have become a team against the common man. The check and balance system has already evaporated whereby broad day light robbery is just ‘legal’ and acceptable in Nagaland context. Therefore, unless the public organisations particularly those having molecules of patriotism and conscientious aptitude take such proactive roles towards reformative measures. If we are to merely watch, wait and depend on Nagaland Govt. to do something better, the common man will be drowned in the incessant flood of corruption.
Z. Lohe
