As the state steps into a new year, the public choice of “Incorruptible” as the defining goal for its future is not merely an aspiration; it is an indictment of the present. The recent poll conducted by this newspaper reveals a society diagnosing its own problem, recognising that without integrity as a foundation, all other ambitions - peace, development, justice, creativity - rest on fragmentation ground.
The respondents articulate a truth far more pervasive than simple financial scandal. Corruption has taken the form of a social norm, embedding itself in the physical, moral, spiritual and governance spheres. The observation that corrupt practices now wear the mask of community obligation, for clan, village or tribe, reveals a corrosive ethical compromise. When society excuses dishonesty in the name of kinship, it systematically dismantles the very bonds of trust that hold a community together. The noted silence of institutions like the church on this “social disease” only underscores how normalised the abnormality has become.
This normalisation presents the greatest obstacle. Systemic political corruption is challenge enough, but a culture that winks at it in daily life creates a tightly packed shield for the powerful. It fosters an environment where honest voices are marginalised, where the rules of fairness seem immature, and where public office becomes a pathway to private gain rather than public service. The call for “incorruptible leaders, civil society, church, and public” acknowledges that reform cannot be compartmentalised. It must be a collective, societal transformation.
The poll also reveals a nuanced understanding of progress. The lesser votes for “Creativity” highlight a valid, aspirational vision for a self-reliant economy built on unique cultural and natural heritage.
Yet, the public instinctively grasps that creative enterprise cannot flourish in a soil poisoned by graft. Who will invest when contracts are auctioned? How will small artisans thrive when nepotism dictates opportunity? Can tourism truly expand when basic infrastructure projects succumb to kickbacks? Creativity requires the oxygen of fairness and predictability, which only a commitment to incorruptibility can provide.
Similarly, the desire for “Justice” is inextricably linked to this core issue. In a corrupt system, justice becomes a commodity, accessible only to the connected or the wealthy. The law then serves not the people, but the interests of the corrupt. Therefore, the pursuit of justice is futile without first erecting the pillar of integrity.
As Nagaland navigates though a critical juncture, the word “Incorruptible” must translate from a popular sentiment into an unyielding benchmark for every public figure, every institution and every citizen. It demands concrete action: transparent governance, ruthless accountability, a vigilant civil society and leadership that breaks the cycle of complicity.
The challenge is monumental, for it requires battling not just corrupt individuals, but a corrupted mindset. The question that now defines the state’s path is whether those in power, and the society that empowers them, possess the courage to heed towards an “Incorruptible” Nagaland.
