In the course of the lifespan of 53 years of the Statehood of Nagaland, we have live side by side with the political activities of the State, of which some have been of disadvantage to us and some have been beneficial for us. However, never in the history of Nagaland Statehood, we have witnessed such uprising of the people against the very government they have elected to rule over them as is in the present situation. So also, no political parties of the past have been as divided and weak as of the present day oppositionless party in the government. And the reasons for the turn of the events of the present government from day one according to my observation has its beginning in the manner the 12th NLA general elections were conducted.
The churches in Nagaland headed by the NBCC took a very bold step to clean up the corrupt practices of election in Nagaland and initiated for a Clean Election for which I was happier than anyone else and accepted the challenge. Thereafter series of Seminars on clean election were conducted across the state, prayers and fasting programmes were organised and we made a promise before the King of kings, the living God of Israel, the God of the Nagas that we will have a Clean Election in the State of Nagaland in His Holy Name. This fact can never be denied.
As the great day of electing the leaders to lead the Naga people approached, I saw and observed that those who have stood tooth and nail for clean election slowly drifted away from the path and the stand they have taken. The believers and faithful church leaders started to carry moneybags and visited homes of the electorate to buy their votes on behalf of the candidates they supported and the money started to speak to the electorates on behalf of the candidates. As such, the money they received led them to the polling booths and the precious votes (supposed to be clean) were voted. In the process of election, no minds and thoughts were applied and no time was spent to think and decide for whom to vote, because the fat moneybag was the mind and heart for most of the electorates at that point of time. Seminars and prayers for Clean Election were all forgotten, to remember no more. Liquors, money, proxy voters slips were all seized and confiscated but there were no authorities to take action. All cries and complaint went unheeded. The authorities were silent and the NBCC were nowhere to be heard and seen. All went its own way and that was how Nagaland conducted the general election to the 12th Nagaland Legislative Assembly of 2013 (NLA-2013).
Soon after, the result was declared and the NPF came back to power with Thumping Majority for the Third Consecutive Time. It was a joyous moment for all of us and we congratulated the new government with great hope that Nagaland will see a new face of peace and development. But our hope and joy was too short a life. The agony started to roll down on the newly built house of NLA-2013. The father of the house had to leave for Lok Sabha. The BJP MLAs were suspended, the NPF MLAs were divided, the NCP MLAs deserted their party and lastly the 8 Congress MLAs became political prostitutes. Throughout this period, precious times were spent in cleaning up the house of NLA and no time and money could be spared for the peace and development of the State they so represent and pledge to work for. It was really an agony for the electorate so also for the MLAs.
Today, we have a warlike situation after 4 (four) years of much talk about clean election. The very people who have elected the MLAs are calling them to resign from their position. The Chief Minister of Nagaland who was my opponent in the 2013 election is being asked to step down by the Naga public time and again, telling him he has no moral right to continue as the Chief Minister of the State because he is not fit to run the affairs of the State. Much damage has been done to public properties and innocent lives were lost. We never know what more calamities are in store for us ahead.
Nagaland had never witnessed such a situation in the NLA in the past with no opposition, so also the Naga public had never stood together to attack the very House they have built in 2013, as a united opposition.
The reasons as I see for the present fallout and turmoil is because of the simple fact that we have lied to the King of kings and cheated the living God of Israel who is the God of the Nagas while electing our earthly kings. It is therefore necessary for us to revisit our mind and soul and answer these questions to our God:
Q 1. Why did we turn away from Clean Election that we promised before the living God, the Jehovah?
Q 2. Why did we allow the corrupted money to lead us to the polling booth and vote on our behalf?
Q 3. Why did we not utilise our minds and hearts to think and decide for us, for whom to vote?
Q 4. Do the money that we received during the elections have ears, eyes, minds and heart to hear, to see, to think and decide and choose our representative?
Q 5. Do we still think we did the right thing to ourself, to our people, and to God by deciding to vote for the candidates whose money we received?
Q 6. As a Christian, as a baptised member, as a church leader, have we prayerfully casted our vote or the money we received overtook our decision?
Today many of us are in a position where nobody can blame anybody for the present situation because we have already sold our rights and that have already been purchased by the leaders sitting at the top of us. Let us not deny this fact. We have lost our moral right to demand their resignation and they have the right of not listening to us because their money have played the role of middleman for us in the 2013 election and that money has already flown down to the drain and disappeared in the deep sea of corruption. The relationship of love and understanding is no more with us. The bond of respect and honour is missing in us. The mistrust and hatred have grown too deep amongst us.
The only way left for us to save our beloved Nagaland is to look back at what we have done in 2013 election, and decide for ourself whether to repeat the practice of giving our right to the moneybags or turn our mind and heart to God, the Jehovah and repent, and go for a Clean Election in the fear of God and elect God fearing leaders so as to deliver Nagaland from falling apart. We are reaping what we have sown and the harvest is bitter and sour.
May God Bless My Beloved Nagaland!
