By Z. Lohe (EMN)
The decision of Union Govt. to henceforth get rid of use of vehicle beacon light by VIPs (very important persons) including the top most country leaders has made it mandatory for the Govt. of Nagaland to adopt similar decision as publicised. It is apparently a humble exercise indeed. The objective is to develop a culture of courtesy that is expected to lead the VVIPs/VIPs to unassuming level of position so as to narrow down the gulf between the rulers and the ruled. The public servant in true democratic essence is to serve the public and not to be served. Perhaps there is realization that the position of public servant has been abused for years by both elected and appointed public servants at the Centre and in the States.
No sooner had the Union Cabinet taken the decision to discard beacon light, Union Minister for Rd. Transport & Highways Sri. Nitin Gadkari removed the red beacon from his official car. The Mizoram Chief Minister Mr. Lalthanhawla did the same. Here in Nagaland, the Governor BP Acharya had removed the VIP light from his vehicles as reported. With effect from May 1st, both the elected and the appointed here in Nagaland have also discontinued using VIP light, as generally known here in Nagaland, on their official vehicles.
Since all the VIPs are not of same, some may be fuming at the decision particularly those who believe that public image oozes and retains out of decorated vehicle. This category of authorities may now be apprehensive that using ordinarily looked vehicle has halved their status in the eye of the public as they do not believe in the culture of earning respect out of deeds.
Nevertheless, God has designed the male and female differently. Not only human but God has done the same to animals and birds. For instance, a rooster has prominent crest with erected long tail feathers as against the namesake crest and flat tail feathers of a hen. The male deer has prominent branched antlers whereas its female does not have. Certain flock of birds have its leader identifiable with decorations. The lions have lengthy neck hair as against the uniform hair of lioness. All these God’s designs are but decorations for leadership.
As for mankind, God has chosen leaders to control and manage the affairs of people. Those leaders have to have a higher status above the common man. The status in question is a necessity than of decoration. The path finders of birds and animals are naturally decorated and there nothing unnatural if the leaders of human are decorated too.
I do not believe that the general public is neither envy nor consider it to be an irritant with VIPs using red beacon lights fitted to their official cars. How much does it downgrade the common man if VIPs do use decorated vehicles or how much will the position of the common man be lifted up when VIPs discarded use of beacon light? What does it matter if the authorities continue to loot and plunder the public exchequer by riding expensive vehicles without VIP light fitted to it? It is not an austerity measure either. I therefore consider this decision of the Union Govt. to be more of populism and of pseudo sobriety.
What is most essential is not the removal of beacon light from VIP’s car but reinvention of semblance of governance in the context of Nagaland. What is most needed is change of the mindset of VIPs from selfish culture to selfless culture, from vengeance to compassion, from opaqueness to transparency, from non-deliverance to deliverance and from irresponsibility to accountability.
If not, non-use of vehicle beacon light by the authorities will be meaningless, useless and it remains a mere good joke.
