Imkong Walling
Nagaland is not new to having political bigwigs as state guests. These are routine governmental obligations, but to the larger public in the far east of India, the visits are extraordinary events that do not pass unnoticed. The premise for such visits often involves the inauguration/announcement of Union government-sponsored development projects/schemes or on other occasions— as special guests at the year-end Hornbill Festival.
Great fanfare surrounds such visits with the state government leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that the visiting dignitaries are accorded the best of hospitality along with the mandatory security cover.
An all too happy state government also ensures that public announcements are made well ahead so that it gets the appropriate publicity and news coverage. Meanwhile, the press does its part, disseminating the news to the wider public.
It would be utter untruth to claim that the local press does not get excited hearing of impending visits from Delhi.
The excitement though is short-lived, the curiosity and eagerness (to interview or pose queries) turning to frustration when the day arrives. Reason: the state government has an uncanny tendency to shield visiting Union Ministers from the local press. It translates into news composed of bulletins released either by the government’s Directorate of Information & Publicity or the Press Information Bureau.
The recent visit of the Union Health & Family Welfare Minister was one of many frustrating occasions for journalists, who were looking forward to engage in a question-answer session with the Minister.
But media persons were disappointed to learn that there was no plan to hold a press conference, while the Minister declined to take queries citing an official address will be made during the foundation laying ceremony for the Mon Medical College scheduled the next day.
To round it up in brief, the Minister visited the CIHSR in Dimapur where he interacted with the staff and inspected the facilities at the hospital followed by a visit to a nearby Ayushman Bharat Health & Wellness Centre. He did finally respond to queries from journalists in Kohima on the third day, but briefly and that too, on the move.
In a nation based on democratic principles, where the press is regarded as the fourth pillar of the government, it is unfair to deny the fourth estate from engaging in dialogue with policy-makers on issues of pressing public concern.
Another unexplained detail that deserves questioning was the state government showing no inclination to have the Union Minister inspect a half-done project to upgrade the District Hospital (presently designated COVID-19 Hospital), Dimapur. Like the long delayed Nagaland Medical College in Kohima, the project in Dimapur, sponsored under the National Health Mission’s Forward Linkages Scheme, lays incomplete and ignored even after 8 years of sanction.
Giving a good paint job is refreshing to the eyes but sweeping dirt under the carpet only serves to display a flimsy façade.
The writer is a Principal Correspondent at The Morung Express. Comments can be sent to imkongwalls@gmail.com
