Jack T. Chakhesang
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he other day, I came across a young man, a nephew in fact. He is fairly good looking and the spectacles (specs) he had on seemed to suit him. This then got me into thinking about spectacles which are used for correcting defective eyesight such as myopia (shortsightedness) or hypermetropia (or hyperopia) meaning long-sightedness. The word spectacles were derived from the 14th century Latin word speculum again originated from specere meaning to look.From this it follows that the singular word “spectacle” means something that can be seen, a sight especially one that is impressive, wonderful, also disturbing and ridiculous etc. It also means a display, an exhibition, especially one that is put on for entertaining the public. A spectacle further means someone or something that attracts attention.
The past one month while ushering in the New Year 2015 has also been vexation of the Naga spirit caused by the internal differences among the elected NPF Legislators in the DAN III Govt. All because of vanity of vanities exhibited by a few of them. That was a spectacle for which many were not amused. That the Legislators have more or less reconciled despite some hardliners is well and good for the larger interest of the people.
In any game between two teams, one will win and therefore one will lose. Both cannot win at the same time nor can both win. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. However, there is a term called “a tie” which is a compromise between equals.
Thus to forgive is ideal and divine. To forget is excellent but there may remain remembrances also. In major intelligence agencies of the world especially the USA’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Russia’s RSV redefined from the Soviet Kommitet Gosudvartsenoi Bezopasnosti (KGB), Britain’s MI(Majesty’s Intelligence)-6, France’s Dieuxeme Bureau, and both the agencies of then West and East Germanies each mounted various strategies to woo defectors during the 40 years of the Cold War.
The defectors regarded as traitors by their countries were well considered even honoured as heroes by the host countries. Many men and women had lost their lives in this silent and unpublicized but vital service of their nations. The agents concerned being professions take it all in their stride. They believe in the slogan “you win some, you lose some” and move on to their next assignment/operation. Such attitude can also be applied in the political arena also.
The outcome of Thursday (Feb.05) session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly wherein all 59 Members including the DAN partners BJP, JD(U), NCP and the Opposition Congress voted in favour of T.R. Zeliang’s leadership. To round it the Speaker also cast his vote accordingly. This is nothing short of “spectacular” in not only Nagaland’s history but all over India as well. Incidentally, this year’s calendar as distributed by the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, February’s page has the picture of bespectacled Chief Minister TR Zeliang smiling confidently. Coincidence? Perhaps, and yet…….
Of course, it has been conveyed that the dissenting NPF Legislators had responded to the call of chief whip Kiyaneilie Peseyie because they were not against break-up of NPF Party or the DAN as well. Their contention was, and still is, that they wanted Chief Minister Zeliang to step down from his chair and as such, their agenda is likely to continue. By the way, in “Guerrilla Warfare” Mao Zedong had advocated: “When the enemy is weak, we attack; when he runs we pursue; when he is strong we withdraw.”
In the mean time, the formal and legal decision of the Election Commission of India (ECI) as to which it recognizes as the rightful NPF is awaited. In geographical terms, it is said that “the higher you go, the cooler you feel.” However, in politics, the higher you are, the hotter it may be because of the boiling cauldron below.
Be that as it may, the NPF-led DAN Government must now gird up its loins and Chief Minister TRZ must really introspect with a wisdom like Solomon’s as how to deal with the Prodigals. He has the prerogative but also unenviable task to appoint Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, Advisors etc and entrust portfolios of the various departments accordingly. In this, he has to keep a bird’s eye view with a 360 degree panorama of not only their qualifications and capabilities but also the tribal factors to complement their portfolios. Of course, some will have to remain as MLAs only—but it is not so bad or disadvantageous as usually perceived if they only know how and when to move about. All said and done, this may be overcoming the lesser evil for the greater good of the people. No harm done, None at all.
There have been moments when I have felt a touch of sympathy and concern for our Legislators in general. Perhaps most other voters have also felt the same. The elected ones have been maligned and castigated not only among themselves but also by various sections of the people. But let us keep in mind that they are also human with all the attendant flaws and merits accordingly. As the elected, they further reflect their followers, supporters, well wishers and respective constituencies—in other words, their people.
When allotted their portfolios and in discharging the responsibilities, they must need to go beyond the periphery of their constituencies. A Legislator once declared publicly: “I may be representing my constituency but with my entrusted portfolio I am now a Minister for all the citizens of Nagaland!” And that is the spirit as it should be.
This too, have I noted from experience. It is not so easy—rather difficult—to buy the loyalty of a Naga. All things considered, to a Naga and perhaps in some other communities as well, the first and foremost loyalty is to one’s family followed by clan, village, area constituency, district, tribe, State (or nation) and religion in that exponential order. Nevertheless, where Naga loyalty is concerned you can perhaps rent it for a while and maybe for an extended period of time and in rare cases for an indefinite period.
Now that the war of words supported with skirmishes has a ceasefire, the urgent agenda is to tackle the many pending issues that confront and exasperate us, on a war footing. The leaders that be may like to consider a few aspects (among many others) enumerated as follows. For instance, water which is the source of life, is seemingly in short supply at least from the point of view of the PHED (Public Health Engineering department). On the ground at Kohima for instance, this is not so given the numerous bore wells and ring wells, springs and other open sources of water which the numerous rubber pipe lines of private enterprises run alongside the department’s big metallic pipes indicate.
How to overcome this problem or impasse? One way is to motivate the proprietors of private sources of water to let the PHED have access (on remuneration) to this resource in the larger interest of the consuming public and the Government also. For this, we have to inculcate some civic sense too. Another aspect is the perennial problem of communication. Instead of talking big sounding phrases like four-lane highway, for which the Gayatri-Maytas JV (joint venture) has made a mockery (spectacle?) particularly the proposed road from Chakhabama to Zunheboto. Some of the hillsides sliced off can be visible even from Kohima if anyone looks towards the east. So, why not concentrate more on filling up the pot holes on our numerous one-lane or even one and a half lanes once and for all so that the superfluous exercise is not repeated each year’s end. This would be more beneficial in the long run for all concerned.
And so on, there are numerous other aspects to be dealt with in practically all the departments including tackling the belated exercises in Education which is of paramount importance for the development of our younger generations.
SOME EMPLOYMENT AVENUES
There is actually no dearth of employment avenues if one is really and truly interested. True, quite a number of our youths have taken up schemes as available through the Chief Minister’s Corpus Fund and other similar projects. Many are doing well but others have failed in their loan repayment schedules for whatever reason((s). Now the accessibility has been tightened.
Here I mention but a few opportunities for the many that can mostly do manual jobs. For instance, there are many non-locals who deliver and sell daily newspapers and their commission is 25 per cent of the cost of each copy. When I was residing in Jail Colony, Kohima, I asked the vendor who was about 13 0r 14 years old, as to how much he earned in a month, he replied with pride that he gave Rs three thousand every month to his mother. This was besides what he spent on his own other necessities. It is regrettable no local youth is interested in the enterprise or else he or she could have captured the entire colony—just for being active for a few hours from 5.30 am to about 10.30 am. What happens is that some students organization buys the local newspapers in bulk and people pay even up to ten Rupees to encourage them. Unfortunately, after having made some profit, they give up after a few days.
Take a nice look at the petrol/diesel filling pumps. You will notice that except for very, very few locals, most of the employees are non-locals. Besides, many people come from outside the State with no qualification or experience but get employed in some building sites and learn their jobs in service. Like this, the employment opportunities are aplenty for the asking or taking if our youths are motivated and inculcated with a sense of responsibility. By the way, I noticed that some city buses are employing young women as conductors. That is an encouraging sign. And so on as nothing in life is easy for no one gives without taking in return.
LAST BUT NOT THE LEAST
In a few days time just before my next corner, the world will celebrate Valentine’s Day or Lovers’ Day on Saturday, February 15. Much has already been written about its origins and many moving stories connected with it in previous years. Suffice it for now to say that not only this occasion which is Western-oriented but love stories abound in all communities and cultures down to the smallest hamlet with all its joys and sorrows. So, it is to be hoped that there will be no adverse reactions including violence by other communities in mainland India on this day as has unfortunately happened in the past.
Besides, there is the universal romantic adage: “It is better to have loved and lost than not to have loved at all.”
To paraphrase this in the context of our NPF Legislators: “It is better to have played the great game (manfully) and lost (gracefully) than not to have played at all.”
