[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s Christianity is growing older and as hundreds of Churches in Nagaland had celebrated Golden Jubilees and some had Diamond Jubilees, the Truth has become dimmer in Naga Society. The truth is the subject much regularly talked about by Naga Christians as we can imagine how more than a thousand Churches harp on the topic and heard by more than one and half million listeners at least 4 times a month. The more we listen to truth the more we become immune to truth. The more messages on truth are delivered more wastes flowed down the drainage of greed. The Truth which rose with the advent of Gospel failed to find takers and is eclipsing with the age of Christianity.Those who speak the truth are few in Naga Society today. Those Nagas who write about the truth can be numbered. Those who stand for the truth are in minority. The one who speaks the truth is friendless and despised. Neither for the crime one has ever committed nor because of one’s fame but just for speaking the truth one’s life is threatened and in danger. Just because of speaking the truth one is instantly made VIP-like life with Police body guards. From where the threat comes? The threat is not from across the border but from within. The end result is Nagas do not feel safe to live in their own land if one is a supporter of truth. How futile?
Despite of the drastic paradigm shifts in the work culture and probity in public service over the years, I am sure there are remnant of employees in several Departments under the Govt. of Nagaland till today, who remained honest, rational and sincere in their dispensations. Why few of those public servants remained honest when 99% of their colleagues have gone by the path of greed? What prevents those few from becoming selfish when the disciplinary rules are proved to be toothless and clawless tiger? What those few are afraid of under a Govt. which hardly has a record of appropriately punishing any erring public servant as per law? Reasons may vary. Yet I strongly believe those few are Christians. They believe Jesus while at home, while in Church service, while outside home and while in public office. Those few remnants have more fear of God before whom there is no confidentiality than the law.
The repercussion of being honest in public service is, those remnants are considered non-cooperative, indiscipline, orthodox and unserviceable. No superior or subordinate wants to work with them for they are always considered roadblocks. Ultimately those remnants are placed in no man’s land without portfolios.
If there is any Govt. employee in Nagaland for Christ agrees with me that I have spoken certain amount of truth, please remain steadfast as you are not alone but there are few unemployed minority supporting you.
May not be in every Church, but if a Deacon in a Church is vocally honest for the sake of truth calling spade a spade always, he is considered a black sheep, trouble shooter and divisive. Therefore, for the sake of unity and survival that honest and vocal Deacon has to be removed.
The Truth commands no more respect be it in politics, religion or social. What commands respect of the Nagaland Christians is wealth. The acceptability and recognition of a person is measured by the size of his material possession. It does not matter to Nagas whether that wealthy person got rich by robbing State’s Exchequer by broad day light robbery or by extraction of wealth out of threat or cheat or murder. It does not matter if that person became wealthy out of bootlegging, of drug peddling or of running brothel with our daughters. Indeed, that person is a criminal fit for prison. Yet, the politicians value him, the bureaucrats respect him, the Police is his bosom friend and he is popular in Church circle and his house is most frequented by groups of prayer parties. What Nagas fear is not Truth but perishable wealth. This is the modern culture of Nagaland which declared to stand for the Truth.
The Truth shall win. May God bless the minority.
(Z. Lohe)
Ex-Speaker, NLA.
