By Patricia Mukhim
The caption of this article is borrowed from Oscar Wilde’s play, ‘The Importance of being Earnest.’ Earnest has been replaced by Mukul because this article is about the latter rather than the imaginary character Ernest. ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is a comedy set against the prudish and snobbishly hypocritical Victorian society where two flippant young men, in order to impress their respected beloveds, pretend that their names are “Earnest.” The young ladies believe that the name ‘Earnest’ confers magical qualities on the possessor. This is where Dr Mukul resembles the imaginary Earnest as understood by those Victorian ladies.
When Dr Mukul speaks you have to listen because he does not filibuster. I hope the good doctor does not take umbrage at the word as some of his colleagues have. Filibustering has several meanings but the most accurate one is when parliamentarians and legislators of the ruling side drag their debates in order to avoid the real issue and prevent a Bill from being passed. Wikipedia, though gives a simpler, more modern usage of the word filibuster which is, ‘When you talk too much in a meeting about something without ever getting to the point.’ How many of us have had to suffer the boredom of listening to honoured guests who speak but say nothing. In effect they are blowing hot air. Dr Mukul Sangma on the contrary speaks sense wherever he is called. He is politically correct, or should I say occasion-correct and comes well prepared. I doubt that he even relies on a prepared text for his speeches.
This sort of leader inspires confidence because he studies the theme of the day down to the last detail and can hold forth on it without boring the listeners. On Thursday while inaugurating the workshop on “Development of Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture in Meghalaya: Problems and Prospects,” at Pine Wood Hotel Dr Sangma might have surprised many of the pisci-culture experts, especially Dr Krishnaiah the key expert from Andhra Pradesh where Meghalaya sources the bulk of its fish from. Speaking as a medical doctor he said he refuses to eat fish from Andhra Pradesh because it takes all of 9-10 days for the fish to reach the State by which time the denaturation of proteins has already set in. Now please do not ask me what denaturisation means. Those interested can look up the internet where the meaning is amplified. I am still trying to figure out what denaturalises my diet. The internet says even boiling an egg could denature the protein in it. But thanks Dr Mukul for tickling our grey matter in understanding nutrition better.
Moving on Dr Mukul said that simply eating an orange grown anywhere, including a sloping land depleted of micro-nutrients is unlikely to give us the Vitamin C or minerals we might be thinking we ingest. That was new knowledge; for me at least! So in a fish seminar, Dr Mukul Sangma has given us enough food for thought on whether we are consuming fish that has been reared in ponds afflicted by micro-organisms which are ingested by fish and indirectly enter the human food chain and also about nutrition in general. I am going to be sufficiently engaged for the next one month on whether I am actually consuming food with zero nutrients! Until the next seminar, where the doctor will speak of another theme, which I promise to diligently attend!
There is a perceptible difference in the political atmosphere when the person at the top of the pyramid knows what he is talking about, reads up and refreshes his knowledge. One of the reasons why Mukul Sangma is impatient with some of his colleagues is because they are either too slow on the uptake or are unwilling to learn any new lessons from their departments. The Chief Minister shared that as a young first timer minister he was given the Fisheries Department with a budget of less than Rs 2 crore. But during that time he briefed himself about the potentials of the Department in not just increasing the fish production and consumption in Meghalaya but also as a livelihood opportunity for rural farmers. You can see that Dr Mukul has first hand knowledge of the problems and prospects of fish rearing and has therefore egged his officers on to prepare a working paper on how to upscale fisheries and take that on, on a ‘mission mode.’ The word ‘mission mode’ somehow seems incompatible with Meghalaya but I will reserve this topic for another week. .
Dr Mukul then spoke about what was stunting fish production in the State. He said it was due to inbreeding. Now this is something very few people would have thought about unless they are veterinarians and have knowledge about the unhealthy aspects of this unnatural breeding formula. Again I checked up Wikipedia and found that inbreeding is the reproduction from the mating of two genetically related parents, which can increase the chances of off-springs being affected by recessive or deleterious traits. This is true of human and animals as well. I also learnt that maintaining genetic variations is important for the health of fish and for increased productivity.
Later at an aside Dr Mukul spoke of giving equal thrust to other livestock production activities besides fishery. He spoke of turkey farming and surprised everyone by suggesting that farmers in Meghalaya too should begin rearing the emu. Those who play scrabble and are forced to wrack their brains for three lettered words all know that the emu is a large flightless Australian bird. But what many of us did not know and what Dr Mukul told us is that the emu has to be reared in pairs in order to survive. When one partner dies, the other will not live too long. The doctor even knows the well-kept secret of the emu fraternity which is that the bird is very faithful to its partner and can recognize it even if kept with others of its kind. ‘An emu never deserts its partner,’ Dr Mukul stated emphatically. That’s quite a lesson for us flighty human beings, I say.
For many of us the first half of Thursday morning was indeed an education in livestock rearing, genetics and faithfulness as depicted by creatures with wings. Oh yes before I forget, Dr Mukul also told us that every part of the emu is useful. Its fat is medicinal. Its meat is eaten and its plumes or downs are used for decorative purposes. He said a few farmers in Garo Hills have already started rearing the emu because it is resilient to all types of geographical and climatic variations.
Now the purpose of this article is not to blow Dr Mukul Sangma’s trumpet for him but to say that he is a refreshing change from the kind of politicians we have had to suffer for well over 39 years. No wonder the Planning Commission members were impressed by Meghalaya’s presentation this time. In the past they have seen chief ministers asking money for projects they knew nothing about. This is the first time they watched a chief minister willing to personally stand up and speak about all the innovative schemes he has for his State.
Many people I know are willing to bet their last penny on Dr Mukul as the chief minister who can take this State forward. He has the energy to run up to the last mile. He has a road map for rural development – the key to raising Meghalaya’s GDP and putting a cap on urban migration. He drives a hard bargain with his officers and believes in the literal meaning of the word “deadline” which is otherwise anathema in Meghalaya. It’s not a question of liking him or hating him. Either way, no one can ignore him. He makes himself heard above the din and though many are unhappy about his style of functioning they have not publicly stated what those thorny areas about that ‘style’ are which they do not like. So shall we say that it’s more of a personal problem than a political one and leave it at that?
But given the task at hand and Meghalaya’s gargantuan challenges Dr Mukul does need a good team to achieve his objectives. Which chief minister would want to put in place a social audit bill? This gives immense power to the people in villages and rural hamlets to ensure that schemes not only reach them but that they have the mandate to monitor them and point out implementation gaps. If the social audit bill is passed Meghalaya will be one of the few States to have achieved a significant milestone in people’s empowerment!
In conclusion, I must say that Dr Mukul appears to be ‘earnest’ in helping to translate the peoples’ dreams for Meghalaya into action. And for that very reason it is important that he continues to remain earnest.