Share
SI Jamir addressing the first day of the 67th triennial general conference of the Ao Students’ Conference at Changtongya village in Mokokchung district on Wednesday, January 18.[/caption]
Changtongya, Jan. 18: The advisor to Urban Development, SI Jamir, on Wednesday called upon students to start a ‘revolution to cleanse the deeply rotted corruption and election malpractices’ that which he said was ‘eroding our Naga society.’
Jamir, who is also a former president of the Ao Students’ Conference was speaking during the inauguration of the 67th triennial general conference of the organization. The event was held with the theme ‘Resolute Affirmation’ at Changtongya village, under Mokokchung district.
Citing an example, Jamir said, for a ‘project tender’ by a contractor, a minister would cut a share of ten percent; the secretary five percent, the director five percent; even the peons and ‘chowkidars’ take their share. What remains is fewer than 50 percent of the estimate amount of the project, he said.
‘Then how can it be a successful project?’ he wondered. The legislature also said that he does not blame contractors for ‘poor workmanship’ because the contractors do not do social work.
The youths today have a work to do: root out corruption in the society; it has already spread its roots deep into the society, he said.
Also, speaking about electoral malpractices, SI Jamir said that ‘malpractices in election’ started in the Ao areas and soon spread ‘like wild fire to whole of Nagaland.’ He asserted that directors and higher government officials retired early from service to contest elections. But today, he said, there are many dynamic youths with potential who want to contest in the elections but do not have financial support to contest the elections.
The reality is that, he said, no financial resources means that they cannot contest in the elections, Jamir said.
In this connection, he challenged the students that the people need a revolution, to clean the system of electoral malpractices so that the Naga people can move forward. He also advised the delegates to make a resolution to stop electoral malpractices during the three-day conference.
“Unless and until electoral malpractices continue in our society, there will be no good leaders and we cannot advance with the rest of the world,” Jamir reminded.
Also, Sushil Kumar Patel, the deputy commission of Mokokchung spoke at the inaugural programme. He said that leading students engage in agitations was not a good sign for the society. He was of the view that students’ main work is to study and improve things through constructive means.
Patel also maintained that if the youths are not able to engage themselves in productive work, they may become a liability for the state instead of being a resourceful person. He, therefore, opined that a comprehensive planning to optimize the skill of the youth was needed for the development of the community.
The opening segments of the event included short films, drama and music portraying the AKM’s journey over the years and till today.
Around 2000 delegates from six ranges of Mokokchung and some from outside the state are camping for three days at Changtongya village, some 42 kilometres away from Mokokchung town.