On Monday August 29 the youth organisation of Mokokchung town (MTLT) finally opened the offices of the Power department that the organisation had locked five days earlier. The youth body had given an ultimatum to the government of Nagaland that the supply of power in the district has to improve and had earlier submitted a charter of demands to fulfil the same. Even though the representations to the government were started a few years back, the recent move by the youth organisation was the result of the complete breakdown of power infrastructure in the district. The citizens were also irked by the transfer of a power transformer to Dimapur a few years back. This time round, as always government finally gave in after the offices were locked and a written reply given to fulfil the demands.
The issue here is not about the nitty-gritty of power supply scenario but the system that has been in place over the years in Nagaland. The government has a tendency to act only when citizens of the state take up extreme measures. When representations are made it is always accepted with a very big unwritten ‘yes’ and all goes hunky dory with the usual Naga gifts and niceties. As time passes the members of the public become disheartened since the promises are not fulfilled. Finally it turns into ultimatums, picketing, closures of offices and at times bandhs.
This system that is already deep rooted in the Naga society at present also breeds the wrong notion that things move in the state only when an organisation serves ultimatums to the government. The minds of the youngsters are corrupted so early in their youth that in Nagaland one cannot live without being part of an association. Everyone has the Right to form associations and be part of an association but when many such associations in Nagaland tend more to be at loggerheads with the government, if it was in any other part of the world it may be termed as an illegal association.
The associations in Nagaland are therefore made to protest and fight against the government instead of being partners of the popular government in serving and helping the people. Most of the organisations are supposed to be welfare organisations with more interactions on literary, culture and traditions moulding the citizens especially youth to be a part of the Naga intelligentsia in the near future. On the contrary, with the existing system in place, the youth are taught to protest and rebel against the government. Ironically, with the top employer in the state being the government, most of the youth will end up being part of the very same government. It is doubtful if they will have any pride left to show about their employer and any strength left in their dedication to their jobs.
It is indeed a vicious cycle but it has to be stopped and the onus is on the government. Curbing corruption and better planning for equitable development all over the state would come in as the first step remedy.
