Reading the article “Delimitation Exercise, a must in Nagaland” by Mr. Jonas Yanthan (The Morung Express – Public Discourse and Eastern Mirror – Readers’ Mirror: Views & Reviews, both dated 10th March 2020), which made for very interesting reading, besides the insights provided, made me also realise what a hypocritical and selfish society we live in today. The delimitation exercise, which is many decades overdue is kept hanging in the balance because of vested interests.
It is truly sickening that some people are campaigning for this exercise to be kept in cold storage, with the excuse of the pending political situation and 2001 census, the latter of which has no more relevance today. Nagas have lived with this pending political settlement for too long. Are we now sure that everything will be resolved, signed and handed over on a golden platter in the next few weeks or months by the GoI? And after the final settlement, if any political group is left out, there will be no fresh problems? As mentioned by Jonas Yanthan, the delimitation exercises were carried out during very troubled times. Life today is very peaceful, except for extortion, syndicates, robbery, etc. by criminals, most of which the State Government is blissfully unaware of (read as “lacking the spine to deal with”). The common man has been left to fend for himself. It is a pity that we have to stoop so low as to voice out the will of a few vested interests in holding the delimitation exercise to ransom. It is indeed a travesty of justice for those groups of people of the state who are consistently marginalized.
Big questions discussed every day and everywhere, by all common people is, why are we just not growing? Where is development? Unfortunately, avarice and selfishness fog our vision. The state government’s budget has gone badly haywire for the past few decades because of the excessive loot of development funds. Besides the massive corruption and inefficiency of the bloated government machinery, a tiny parochial group will just not allow certain regions to grow and thrive. It is time the larger constituencies take on these vested interests so that there is equitable distribution of LAD funds, for starters. To put the LADF of ₹ 1 crore per constituency into perspective – for each person in a constituency with 65,643 voters, there is a development grant of ₹ 152.34p and for her/his counterpart in a smaller constituency of 7129 voters it is ₹ 1402.72p. This is a 920.78% jump in development grants. This disparity is there for all to see.
The patience of the common man is being stretched to the limit. It is like a massive spring being coiled. When released, and symptoms are for very soon, the backlash will have far-reaching consequences. But those advocating a halt to delimitation have enough stashed to continue living in opulence, so may not be affected, except for their temporary positions. But the actions of these few selfish individuals will leave society totally devastated.
Hope better sense prevails and the long-pending delimitation exercise is allowed to reach its logical conclusion. When settlement eventually comes, the exercise can be carried out again if the number of our constituencies is increased.
God Bless the Deprived Sections of our frail society.
Prof. GT Thong
Kohima
