Dishonest unethical Practices in man and woman in the Politicians particularly and in the Government are Political Viruses that cause very difficult-to-cure political Diseases in the Society.
Ill-advised Road-Shows, irrelevant Projects, unpopular Acts touching on Land Resources of the people, overnight emergences of Lakh- and Crore-pati Politicians and their connections, in the Government Servants, backing the wrong Horse of the Hohos, purchasing consent from NGO and influence of Organizations of extra constitutional Forces are some of the political Viruses that caused deep resentments and dissentions in the State.
A highly unexpected favorable Court Decisions on Case involving the highest Profiles in the State, added to the disenchantment of the People on the Government.
The State’s recent use of Water Canon and Lathis on legitimate Teachers demanding their unpaid Salaries for many months, the Tear Gas, Water Canon and Lathis on peaceful democratic Meeting of highly popular ACAUT demonstrated a high handedness of the Government.
Political Viruses in the State would not end by Water Canons, Tear Gas, and Burning of Effigies, destroying Public Properties, and preventing governance indefinitely. Political pathogens are eliminated not by the barrel of the Gun or by Violence either.
The 50 years of Armed FARC Revolution in Peru did not generate the political Peace in the State. FARC had to finally approach Peace through democratic Negotiation. Their first attempt was rejected by the people and it was only in the Second Attempt that Peace finally brought normalcy to the Country.
In the Naga, the NSCN Revolution by “political Power through the Barrel of the Gun” had exhausted much of its steam. The Organization had to disengage its Kalashnikovs and engaged in a time consuming 20 years’ negotiations now for Peace with the GoI.
Recently Brazil and South Korea are in deep trouble. The Public in millions took to the Streets and public Squares demanding the impeachment of Dilma of Brazil and Park Geun-hye, Presidents of the two Nations, for alleged financial impropriates.
The Public has every democratic right to demand the removal of their President, of their Prime Ministers or their Ministers, yet Presidents; Prime Ministers and Chief Ministers are removed only from the Floor of the Parliament and the floor of the Assembly, not from Public Squares or Street Junctions.
I know some in the present dispensation in Nagaland, may not feel comfortable to hear this, but we must preserve the primacy of Democratic processes in our Land.
The Public protest was for the removal of the 33% Woman Reservation Act in the ULB Nagaland Assembly passed. However, it is not for nothing that the Assembly passed the Act. They Passed the Act because of the Sins of Commission and of Omission of the Naga Governments past and present. The Government of Nagaland has landed itself thoughtlessly into the present dispensation. Now, if the Government stands up, their Heads would get hit on the Ceiling; if they sit down, Spikes would pierce their Bumps. That is the situation of the Government today is in.
On the other hand, the Protesters have tasted blood and want the Pound of Flesh from the Government, nothing more nothing less. They changed the Goal Posts, and now demand nothing less that the dismantling of the Government! Government may come, Government may go, but the political reservation may practically last for a long time, though in paper it is said to be Temporary. But the Women winning the Supreme Court Case may affect Naga life impertinently irreversibly.
Competent Naga Legal Minds feel the 33% Reservation Case in the Supreme Court may ultimately, in the long run, injure the wider Interests of Nagaland today and tomorrow.
Therefore, when everything said and done, it would be best to evolve a Solution ourselves in our own State than go to Delhi for solution.
Qualified legal Opinions of Nagaland say that the Women withdraw their Case in the SC ‘unconditionally’; and then the State Assembly, in a one-day Emergency Session repeal the concerned Act completely to replaced it with a New One ‘in consultation with all the Stake holders in Nagaland’.
Or replace the operational phrase of “with immediate effect” of the ACT in existence by “with effect from a date notified by the State”.
The State of Nagaland has amended the Act several times earlier and perhaps it can amended the ACT again.
Let us give hid to the Opinion of the concerned legal Minds in the State more than the Advice from others, for the simple reason that blood is thicker than water.
The Women who went to the Supreme Court are not necessarily more far-sighted or more progressive and better educated than the others. The Case in question is on Legal Issue in the context of perceptions and of discernments for the State stake Holder today and for tomorrow.
Let the Woman be given Front Seat everywhere, let them have Special Wash Rooms everywhere, let them have Special Compartment in every kind of conveyances, give them Specially facilitated Education, let there be Special Scholarship for all girls, Special consideration of Employment in the Government, give them 33% legal Seats even in Private Corporations. Let the Government make Laws to this effect.
Man and Woman are EQUAL before God, before the Law of the Land and before Democracy. But in Politics, no Reserved Seats special for any section Woman or Man, please; not even for 1% because that would be the tip of an Iceberg as big as Nagaland, floating trouble to the Naga Life in Future.
In Politics ALL ARE EQUAL –Male or Female, Unisex or Bi-sex, Hermaphrodite or Neutered.
If a Government is to resign untimely, it is done only from the floor of the Assembly. The Electors could demand it democratically by recalling their Representatives.
The APO has suggested the Representatives may ethically and morally listen to their Represented Elector’s desire. This is the correct steps in the Path to terminate the Government democratically.
Political Parties, -when they fail to democratically remove their opponents, often demand their opponents to step down on Moral Grounds. But Politicians, both in search of Power or in Power do not seem to know where Moral Grounds are!
Lalu Prasad, the innate Chief Minister of Bihar, at the height of an alleged Veterinary Feed Scam in his State was asked by his Enemies to resign on Moral Grounds. He characteristically replied:
“I know Football Ground, I know Cricket Ground, but I do not know Moral Ground!”
In Nagaland too, there may be honorable Politicians and others who may not know where Moral Grounds are located. Please bear with me if this is not true?!*
Thepfulhouvi Solo. IFS Retd (RR -68)
Retd Principal Secretary.
Nagaland.
angami_t@yahoo.co.in
