IAAS officer Kahoto Yepthomi flags RTI misuse, bribery and declining moral values at Morung Lecture on public integrity
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KOHIMA — Right to Information (RTI) applications are allegedly being used as a “lucrative business” in Nagaland, with some applicants seeking money after using information obtained through RTI to expose irregularities, an IAAS officer has said.
Kahoto J Yepthomi, who has served in Nagaland for about 11 years, made the remarks during the Morung Lecture XXIII on ‘Truth and Integrity in Naga Public Life’ in Kohima on Wednesday.
He alleged that Nagaland was the first state where he had witnessed RTI being used as a business, claiming that some people file applications, obtain information indicating irregularities and subsequently exchange the information for money.
“I have witnessed many such persons becoming very rich today,” he said, adding that the RTI, whose primary purpose is to promote transparency and accountability, was being turned into a business.
Yepthomi said something needed to be done before the situation became difficult to reverse. At the same time, he cited some positive changes, saying departments were increasingly acting on irregularities pointed out in audit reports. He also observed that younger people joining government service appeared to be more honest.
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Speaking about corruption, he said people had increasingly accepted bribery as part of the system, while those who questioned corrupt practices were sometimes disliked by society. “People in the offices may have a tendency to take bribes, but the public are also encouraging them,” he said.
On the theme of the lecture, Yepthomi said truth and integrity appeared to have declined in society and called for greater introspection. He urged churches and church leaders to speak more openly about corruption.
He added that corruption, nepotism, favouritism and misuse of public resources were increasingly being normalised, emboldening those involved in such practices as action was often not taken against them.
Referring to cases of financial irregularities highlighted in CAG reports, Yepthomi questioned the effectiveness of suspensions as a disciplinary measure.
He said officials were rarely terminated and that suspension, under which an employee could receive 75% of their allowance, could resemble a “reward” rather than punishment.
He also questioned why unions and civil society organisations did not take up CAG findings concerning their respective sectors. Once a CAG report was laid before the legislature, he said, there was nothing preventing the public from pursuing the issues raised.
Moral values take backseat
Retired IAS officer Lithrongla G Chishi said Nagas must first accept the truth about themselves before addressing the problems confronting society. She said accountability, transparency and integrity were essential to eliminating bribery and urged people to practise honesty while discouraging corruption.
Chishi observed that moral values had been “relegated to the backburner” in Naga society, including in education, where she said greater emphasis was now placed on rights, ambitions and competition than moral education.
She called for a renewed emphasis on ethics and moral values, warning that failure to correct present practices would affect future generations. She also said compassion and kindness were declining as people increasingly pursued their own ambitions.
Blaming legislators and ministers alone, she added, would not change the system unless citizens themselves rejected dishonesty, nepotism and corruption.
Chishi observed that Nagas were losing characteristics traditionally associated with honesty, truthfulness and hard work, and called for a rebuilding of society around moral values and ethics.
Akum Longchari, author and publisher of The Morung Express, said a healthy society should have the ability to self-correct. He added that Naga society appeared to value “unhealthy stability” over truth and said everyone shared responsibility for this.
In the age of social media, he stressed the need to verify facts before “manufacturing theories”, pointing out that opinions and reports circulating online were not necessarily fact-based.
Fazl Ali College principal I Wati Imchen said Nagas had historically been known for honesty and keeping their word, with integrity once forming part of everyday life rather than being merely a political concept. He said society needed to ask whether that legacy was being preserved, adding that when integrity breaks down, ordinary citizens ultimately pay the price.
The Morung Lecture is an initiative of The Morung Express. The 23rd edition was organised in partnership with the Research and Development Cell, Fazl Ali College, Mokokchung.