The supposed letter of the President of the Naga Peoples Front party to all the Cabinet Ministers as released by Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) reported in all the leading newspapers on November 12 touches some very important issues relating to the state of Nagaland. Even though the contents of the letter is primarily about appointments in the government offices and the automatic regularisation of contract employees after 3 years of service, it touches upon the often ignored force that these civil/public servants exert in the state and for our elected governments if not kept happy. He explicitly cites the example of 1993 state elections to the Nagaland Legislative Assembly when about 800 officials went against their party due the Act of 1991 that decreased the age of superannuation in government service from 58 to 57 years.
It was earlier in 1990 during the then Vamuzo government that the Superannuation Bill was passed and the age of superannuation for all government employees except Grade IV employees was increased from 55 years to 58 years. However there was intensive protest and agitations by student bodies across Nagaland with the Naga Students’ Federation leading the charge. The demand of the student bodies was to lower the age of superannuation to 56 years. The government finally brokered a deal with the agitating parties, and settled for one in between the age as demanded and the earlier government Act. The Nagaland Retirement from Public Employment Act, 1991 was passed and the age of superannuation was made 57 years. It can never be scientifically ascertained but looking at the local dynamics of the power of government servants in their villages and towns, it is not incorrect to blame the Superannuation Bill for the results in the state elections of 1993 wherein the Nagaland People’s Council(NPC), the regional cock party was able to get only 17 as opposed to 35 of the Indian National Congress in the 60 member House. The Nagaland Retirement from Public Employment Act, 1991 was then amended in 2007 that further increased the age of the superannuation to 60 years only to be amended in 2009 wherein the length of service rule for retirement was also added keeping it at 35 years of service, whichever is earlier.
In all the cases since 1991 the government employees’ association have gone to court winning some and losing some. The last one being the Nagaland Senior Govt. Employees Welfare Association & Others. versus the State of Nagaland and Others that the latter won with the Supreme Court stating that the 2nd Amendment Act of 2009 is not in contravention to Articles 14 and 16 of the Constitution. Both the article primarily deals with the subject of Equality and equality of opportunity in matters of public employment. Coincidentally, the same Article 16 is cited to prohibit regularisation of contract employees as it involves arbitrary decisions by persons holding power not giving equal opportunity to all because open interviews are not conducted.
This issue over the years is one that clearly mirrors the state of affairs of the employment scenario in the state and also the desperate method that the people have to take to ensure that one’s employment is secure and to also secure a form of employment for the future. The perceived value of a government job in the state is quite high and without doubt it comes with a lot of prestige and power as long as one is ready to. The irony is that students who were once with the agitating parties protesting against increase in the age of superannuation has to suddenly shift sides and fight for it after they also get jobs in the government sector. Similarly for many of the ones who will brave the elements to protest against the so-called ‘back-door’ appointments will also wouldn’t blink if opportunity presents itself for a backdoor appointment. Then those students who led the protest against increasing the age of superannuation may one day end up as a lawmaker but he also has to finally keep the government servants happy to ensure that he keep winning his elections. The attraction of a government job is so high that there are reports that during elections voters demand government jobs from candidates in exchange of their votes.
The bottom line is that the Nagas in majority have strong links to one’s village, clan and tribe and the tribal forms of churches. These bodies highly influence the individuals’ opinion and again in many cases the government servants always enjoy a upper hand in the decision making of clans, villages, tribe and also the church. As the sector with the highest employment along with the population’s high dependency on it, it will continue to be influential and powerful and therefore the main source of corruption in the state. However if the state has to progress, then the power that this sector wields has to be strictly curbed according to the services and conduct rules. In a step further, government servants should not be allowed to be in the decision making bodies of the tribal hohos if the government of Nagaland has to continue to officially endorse the tribal hohos/bodies even if for consultative purposes only. Then only it will also be able to control those politicians who indulge in corruption. The current focus of waiting for the private sector to come up in Nagaland will only make matters worse and that day may even not arrive at the rate of corruption that is prevalent in the state.
