CSOs including tribal hohos, student bodies, faith-based organisations and labour unions, are primarily established to promote shared interests—whether social, economic or cultural—reflecting the characteristics of the communities and groups they serve.
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Civil society organisations (CSOs), including tribal hohos, student bodies, faith-based organisations and labour unions, are primarily established to promote shared interests—whether social, economic or cultural—reflecting the characteristics of the communities and groups they serve. They are regarded as catalysts for development by assisting the administration in implementing development policies and programmes, while also holding it accountable for corruption. However, these very entities that are supposed to foster democratic values and bridge the gap between the government and the people risk becoming a liability and a bottleneck for progress when priorities are fractured, integrity is compromised by bias and personal interests creep in. When organisations that consider themselves apolitical become mouthpieces for political parties and forces with ulterior motives, or pursue vendettas against specific groups, communities, governments or individuals, they risk becoming agents of hate and character assassination, and become impediments to growth rather than engines of progress. Unfortunately, there are many such organisations in India, particularly in Nagaland, which is home to approximately 30,000 non-governmental organisations (NGO). But obstructive tactics against government policies, programmes and projects, driven by partisan motives and self-serving agendas rather than merit, can be counterproductive and erode public trust. The impact can be even more profound in tribal societies because situations can quickly become tribalistic.
Nagaland is clearly overwhelmed by a multitude of organisations—one for every 66 residents, to be precise. Many of these have overlapping roles, which only weakens collective action and causes confusion to the public. There are some organisations with a tribalistic outlook rather than acting as a uniting force for the Nagas as a people, while others are formed to annihilate parallel organisations. Then there are those that engage only in paper wars characterised by veiled attacks on individuals, particularly political figures, without concrete evidence. The recent admission by the founding members of Nagaland Transparency, Public Rights Advocacy and Direct Action Organisation (NTPRADAO) to making “false, defamatory and malicious” allegations against former Lok Sabha candidate Hayithung Bill Lotha, is a case in point. They have claimed that the defamatory campaign was carried out under the influence of a “certain Minister” and other government officials. But this could be just the tip of the iceberg. The crux of the matter is that when organisations are compromised by ulterior motives, be it political or personal, their actions can cause irreparable damage to the individuals or parties involved. To prevent abuse of power, it is pertinent to set up a framework for accountability and transparency with clear ethical standards. Organisations risk becoming liabilities to society if they fail to uphold the principles of neutrality and impartiality.