Concerted campaigns, handcuffs and chains, jail mosquitoes/watery prison dal and the taint & pains have failed to deter the practice of corruption one bit. Those people indulging in this savage competition feel life is easier making wealth encouraged by the fact that wealth commands envy and respect. And hence the guilt of thriving on the extreme desperation of the people is attenuated or swarmed by the opulent lifestyle, a perfect form of ghettoisation where the suffering of your fellow beings is a high privilege for you. There is no deeper sadness than this act of vacuity and assault on morality witnessed today in our much maligned Naga society.
Now, since all the available instruments and strategies have failed to address the problem a serious debate, retrospection and investigation should be encouraged to find an effective mechanism to tackle the menace. This is so, because to rethink ideas and stereotypes by merely juxtaposing events are not going to work. In the same time, no matter how hard it is to find a new strategy to deal rampant practice of corruption, we feel it is still wrong to allow ourselves from not moving out of the stereotype approach to tackle the disease because we definitely realized that all existing mechanisms are irrelevant to the situation.
One suggestion available at the moment is to throw up a wild thought to engage a ‘psychological warfare’ against the menace. The Young Mizo Association (YMA) had experimented with it and it yielded to certain count but for the weak frame of the Association and lack of conviction things did not go for long. This YMA used calendars, pamphlets and hoardings to paint corruption in a repulsive and detestable taste for the public to consume. However, chewing simultaneously the plethora of issues it had bitten became quite a task for the Mizo youth body. Hence it had to debunk its focus on corruption to indulge in the putrid world of ethnic politics.
Coming to our own movement spearheaded by Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) we are happy to see such campaign has enormous appeal in our land. But we would like to caution ACAUT that the relationship they have with the various issues dogging the Naga society is defined by a peculiar equation and thus their tightrope walking is getting complicated as they peck on issue after issue. It is worth noting that rampant corruption has a powerful negative effect and has tarnished the Nagas’ standing as a simple and honest people. Pained by the trend few Naga brave hearts have initiated the anti corruption movement (from campaign against multiple taxation) against all odds.
Now, what ACAUT should focus is to aim for new height of strategy or else exhibiting the not-daring spirit (to explore for new strategies) will lead them to meet the fate of the Young Mizo Association (YMA) in combating corruption.
