The NPF led Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) Government is once again under pressure from two powerful constituency—the Naga Students Federation (NSF) and the Nagaland Contractors and Suppliers Union (NCSU). While both the NSF and NCSU have forwarded their demands—the former wanting a CBI probe into the infamous NPSC bribery scandal and the latter demanding timely payment of dues from the State exchequer—it will be interesting to see how the government wriggles itself out of this sticky situation. With both the NSF and NCSU stepping up its protest campaign and going public with its demands, the government will have to step in one way or the other to address the demand and grievances. With a flurry of State sponsored activities drawn up for the first week of December, the government does not have much time remaining.
In the backdrop of the bribery scandal, the demand of the NSF for CBI probe into NPSC dealings of the past 20 years needs to be given the due attention that it deserves. As far as handing over investigation to the CBI goes, as the premier investigating agency in India the CBI has over the years built up an image for professionalism and integrity. Since it is truly an independent body (which the present State Vigilance Commission is not) it is expected that investigation by the CBI will be without fear and favor and only then will truth be unearthed and justice delivered. As already mentioned earlier in this column, the response of the entrenched State bureaucracy and the wily political class on whether to bring in the CBI or not will no doubt be a test of their character. It is now for the State Cabinet to decide on where it stands.
With regard to the ongoing agitation of the Nagaland Contractors and Suppliers Union (NCSU), clearly the government has no case going in its favor. The amount of Rs 10 crores as pending liabilities brought out by the NCSU clearly proves mismanagement of public money on the part of the government. Despite tall claims of ‘Fiscal responsibility’, it appears that no worthwhile effort has been made to control and monitor government expenditure. The fact that the government has failed to pay for work done is a matter of serious concern. The government’s silence on the demand of the NCSU is likewise damaging its own credentials and may only prove its guilt on the points raised by the NCSU. The failure of the government to make public clarification also goes to show that the management of public funds is going on in secrecy and without accountability to the people.
Both the issues and demands thereof raised by the NSF and the NCSU though unrelated points to the larger malaise of mismanagement and abuse of power, which has enabled rampant official and personal corruption in Nagaland to explode to unprecedented levels. What the government will now decide to do on the issues raised by the NSF and NCSU will determine where it stands with regard to both the rule of law and the welfare of Nagaland and its citizens.
