[dropcap]T[/dropcap]wo weeks after the report of a 3 member Scrutiny Committee for the Lok Sabha Polls in Nagaland ‘okayed’ the documents provided by the Presiding Officers and Micro Observers ... a massive hue and cry is being raised by the opposition NPCC of the practice of irregularities in during the casting of votes. this after the scrutiny of the documents was conducted in presence of the INC candidate KV Pusa and NPCC President SI Jamir for Congress and the representative of the NPF candidate and Legal Advisor.While the NPF and the NPCC may engage themselves in a war of words of who is the more worthy of the vote of the electorate, what we ought to be concerned about is the ‘silence’ of the majority ... the electorate and the population of Nagaland.
The NPCC have alleged huge- mal practices in 1034 out of 2089, polling stations (almost half the numbers in the state). They have also contested the turn out estimated at 88.57% .They say the figure is inflated. And that on the day of polling voters crowds outside polling stations were few and far in between.The instances of (R. Khel) Viswema village, where the voters turnout was barely 28% while in Z. Khel, the booths reported over 90%, were cited as examples. Without the polls being rigged such high turnouts they alleged are abnormal.
The NPCC candidate KV Pusa also said they have proof of a single person casting votes for the entire family while in some village, the Village Councils issued directives to the electorates to submit their EPIC cards to the village leaders and they need not come to cast the vote.
“If the polling officials were forced to allow proxy voting, why did they not report the matter to the RO or CEO,” he questioned.
Pusa further lamented that even as Electoral Photo Identity (EPIC) card were issued people were allowed to cast their vote with just the electoral slip.
Appreciating the ECI slogan “One man one vote”, he however lamented that in many polling stations and villages such privilege was not given to the electorates as the cronies of political masters controlled the polling stations.
He said such activity is not good for Naga people, as money power is going to rule the state at the cost of the rights of the Naga people.
Expressing fear that such malpractice and proxy vote would endanger the democratic process in the state, Pusa said the state Congress party has submitted a representation to the CEO Nagaland requesting him to declare elections in 1034, out of the 2048 polling stations as null and void or hold re-poll in those polling stations.
What the NPCC alleges reads like a nightmare of the mis use of democracy.
It reflects on us as an electorate who have not understood our political rights.It shows that we have no respect for anything lawful and authority must be claimed as a ‘right’ and we care two hoots for the rules.
Surely fifty years of statehood has not reduced us to a state where selling our value system and character don’t prick our conscience anymore? Because if that happened we should be terribly worried. It is the beginning of slipping into a black hole and without mid term corrections in our attitude we are in endangering ourselves as a race.
History is filled with examples of people of races of leaders who refused to change their attitudes and end up paying heavily for wrong attitudes.
Literature also tells us what happens when we don’t admit to the rot taking place within our body mind and soul.
Its time to dissociate political interests from character. It’s not necessary to sacrifice the latter for the former.Life is just too short for short term gains.
At the end the latter, ‘character’ is only what is going to matter as the tale in Oscar Wilde’s “The Portrait of Dorian Gray”tragically plays out.
Leaving aside the deep philosophical inferences that are attributed to this fiction what stands out is the repeated attempts of the character Dorian Gray to go on covering up for his misdeeds. These ‘acts’ or ‘sin’ don’t show up on him physically nor on his social status.
He is well protected from the choices he makes.
But a painting of him to which he has sold his soul is a true reflection of him.
It is constantly undergoing changes that do not reflect on the youthful life that he lives out in his physical form.
In the end when the protagonist realises the mistakes he has taken and every action scars a portrait, he is overcome with horror to what he has done to himself. He digs a knife into the portrait which bears no resemblance to him anymore.But while he thinks that murdering the man in the portrait will rid him of all his faults and he can continue to live .... the act kills him instead.
As he dies the portrait returns to its former state,a painting of a young, handsome and promising youth with a bright future ahead.
Besides the portrait, is found the body of a hideous looking old man not that of the youthful and handsome protagonist.
We too may fail to recognise ourselves one day if the qualities we value of honesty, integrity, hard work, compassion and truth are flitted away for unequal and unmatched returns.
