When Nagaland became a state with an oppositionless government there remained much inexpressible and unexpressed apprehensions because without an opposition in the house, suddenly and automatically, TRZ had became the most powerful Super Chief Minister in the whole of India. Even though the manner in which TRZ became the Chief Minister is still not uncontested, the people, in general, had also looked at it all on the brighter side with the hope that, TRZ, having becoming the most powerful Super Chief minister, would immediately assume the role of being his own opposition and behave like the strict village school master to maintain checks and balances, and reign in financial discipline and naked corruption. Instead, TRZ has taken to heart the aged proverb, “make hay while the sun shines,” and has forced Nagaland down to its knees with the many unchecked sins of omissions and commissions.
“Keep the spirit of coalition alive,” thundered Chief Minister TRZ in Guwahati recently during the NEDA conference. The same spirit, twisted beyond recognition, is being applied in Nagaland only to further the selfish interest of the ruling class. Following sharp criticisms that the first day of the 12th session of the Nagaland assembly winded up in just 15 precious minutes, Chief Minister explained, ‘no controversy that’s why only few minutes.’ The Chief Minister took pains to explain that (Quote) “opportunity is given to members to seek clarifications and ask questions ‘if there are any queries.’ But if they are not putting up questions, we cannot ask them to ask questions.”(Unquote). Dear Hon’ble Chief Minister Sir, No self-preserving member will dare to seek clarification or ask questions and risk a “show cause notice” the next day, if not the very same day. It, actually, is the Chief Minister’s business and responsibility to seek clarifications and ask questions. The Chief Minister had gone on to say,(Quote) “whatever we are doing, we are doing it with a consensus, and that if anyone felt that any important issue have been left out, they could file RTI.”(Unquote). The very purpose of the house for the members is to deliberate. The Chief Minister’s statement defeats the very purpose of the house, and therefore, is infact, a fit case to file a criminal charge against him for lowering the prestige and muddling the sanctity and purpose of the house.
Talking about RTI, just one example, Hon’ble CM Sir. It has been more than five months now and the State Health department has not submitted their replies to the 28 (twenty eight) Public Interest Litigations (PILs) which were filed with the Guwahati high court, Kohima branch, in November 2015, by the Human Rights Law Network over the absence of doctors, inadequate staff, technicians, poor basic amenities, and poor infrastructures in the many PHC, CHC, and DHC in Nagaland. And yet you urge even hon’ble members to file RTIs.
Talking about corruption, just a small case in point. The public are forced to speculate, and then wonder about what must have been the share of Chief Minister TRZ in the more than 73 crores that has gone missing from the Mid Day Meal Scheme. Also, what is actually stopping the Chief Minister from naming the concerned go-between or responsible for the missing amount of Rs. 3,44,59,000/- in between the Finance Department and the Department of School Education! The ball is in your court Sir.
The latest talking point is the fuel adulteration racket unearthed by ACAUT. The fuel adulteration racket has once again exposed the unholy nexus between political power and money in Nagaland. This nexus is not treated as unholy or vicious by the powers that be in Nagaland today because they believe that the State literally belongs to them, and that they are responsible only to themselves and they alone knows what is in the best interest of their Government and the people. It is without a shadow of doubt that there is nexus between the Department of Food and Civil Supplies and the Oil suppliers in this fuel adulteration racket. As rightly questioned by ACAUT, “How can several thousand liters of Kerosene go missing without the knowledge of the officials?” It is no secret that the fuel adulteration racket is in the know of the concerned Minister. Why does it not prick the Chief Minister’s conscience to question the concerned Minister?
If Chief Minister TRZ is clean on this issue of fuel adulteration, he must take the moral high ground and in the best interest of the people, and to regain the confidence of the people, shoulder the blame and resign from the post of Chief Minister. Afterall, he is responsible for his ministers. His silence will only be acknowledging the hands in glove involvement of the Food and Civil Supplies Department in the racket, and his not stepping down from the CM’s post a clear reflection of his involvement and benefitting from this adulteration racket.
Chief Minister, TRZ, while commenting on why the first day of the 12th session of the Nagaland legislative assembly lasted just 15 minutes had said, (Quote), “I should say that this is the most peaceful Assembly in the country,” and that, “people should be happy that the business of the house is taken up and passed peacefully, rather than in a complicated manner.”(Unquote).
Let the Chief Minister be informed that the people are not happy with him telling (or rather, forcing) the people to be happy for having the most peaceful Assembly in the country. As the most powerful Chief Minister in the country, people had expected him to grab corruption by the scruff of the neck and reign in all the badmash, give-a-damn attitude Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries and bureaucrat at all levels indulging in unhindered and unchecked corruption thereby effecting the very survival of the people of the State, but sadly, Chief Minister is seen to have become their patronizer.
People had expected a prolonged productive Assembly session where, bereft of any opposition, the Super Chief Minister was seen demanding the progress report of each and every government department, and taking to task the in-charge for any lapses. An Assembly session where public grievances were deliberated upon right on the floor of the house, where members were accountable to the Chief Minister, and the Chief Minister to the people.
