Constant readers may have noticed that I tend to use derogatory terms in my letters to our Dailies; but I would like to clarify that it is not because I enjoy insulting people, especially the high and mighty of Nagaland, that I do so; but in the forlorn hope that they may be shamed into doing the right thing. And I seem to classify all politicians, bureaucrats, theologians and freedom fighters as corrupt and selfish to a man, but that is not the case. I know many among them that are as honest as the day is long; but they are too few to matter in the scheme of things, my attitude is, “If the shoe fits, wear it”. So, if it applies to any of them, well and good; but if it does not, there is no reason to be offended.
Conversely, there is nothing I dislike more than “puff pieces” praising various politicians that appear, quite frequently, in our dailies; in the form of paid advertisements and unsolicited letters to the editor. It stinks to high heaven of sycophancy of the highest order and triggers my gag reflexes. That being said, credit must be given where it is due; not flattery, but the just due of a person’s good intentions and deeds.
I have praised A.C.A.U.T. the M.T.L.T. and, as it turns out, prematurely, the N.S.F. in my letters. I never imagined that we Nagas would produce any political leader worthy of praise of any kind. Now I find that I have to give credit to the people of Bhandari for electing Mr. Mmhonlumo Kikon to our Legislative Assembly. I do not know Mr. Kikon from Adam, nor am I aware that any Lotha with who I am friendly/acquainted with has any connection of any sort with him; but he seems to be the only Legislator who knows the purpose of being elected by the people. He was the only one who questioned the hurried decision by the “oppositionless’ Government to hold the U.L.B. Elections and now he is the only one trying to address the real problems that All Nagas face on the issues of “Backdoor Appointments”, the kerosene and rice theft, the state of our various developmental projects and, most importantly, the unpaid salaries of our teachers.
The popular saying, ‘We get the Government we deserve” holds true because we elect our leaders to the government. But by this count, the people of Bhandari deserve a better government because they alone, among the people of the 60 constituencies of Nagaland, have elected a legislator worthy to be called a “Public Leader”. Mr. Kikon is the only one who seems to understand that as a legislator, he is not a legislator for his family, village, clan or tribe alone, but he stands for Nagaland and all Nagas.
I did not know why Mr. Kikon was removed from his earlier ministerial office; but I now suspect it was because he attempted to bring honesty, probity and accountability to governance in Nagaland. I am not and have never been a supporter of the B.J.P. party, but I have always maintained that the party recognises merit in its members. Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, I consider the greatest Prime Minister that India has ever produced, bar none. Mr. Narendra Modi could not have reached the P.M.O. if he were a member of the Congress (I), without seriously brownnosing the Gandhi family. It would do well for the B.J.P. Party, both at the state and centre, to recognise the fact that many Nagas are searching for a good and viable alternative to the corrupt and selfish people that have, so far, “served” as legislators in Nagaland, and that it cannot, but benefit them to identify and project its members, like Mr. Mmhonlumo Kikon, if they are to have any hope of governing Nagaland in the future. Do not make the mistake that the Congress (I) did in ignoring Mr. V.P. Singh and sidelining Mr. A.K. Anthony.
All right thinking Nagas must vote for the person, not the party. The people of Bhandari have voted for the right person; for Mr. Mmhonlumo Kikon is attempting to light a candle in the darkness that surrounds us; and that we so love to curse. May God grant all Nagas, across all tribes, the ability to recognise those like him that walk, unrecognised, amongst us. And may He grant us the wisdom to put them in our seats of power.
