By Avner Pariat
It is almost election time – that joyous time once every five years when man tears at man, promises are made and money flies about so close one could almost grab it. Since we are in a festive mood, let us have a peek at some of the gifts that our government- skilled in “public advocacy”- would bestow upon us.
Of course the greatest gift of all has got to be money, don’t believe anything else – Not just any money but money for ‘good times’. Not the ‘serious’ money needed for hospitals, roads, electricity, schools (and schoolteachers, sorry I had to rub that in). Money for Shillong events like rock shows, fashion shows, even book festivals. Events these days are built around a cheque and not the other way around. Money matters first and events later. Cultural events are important. However, what aspect of culture are they keen to promote? Let us say for example that I want to have an anti Uranium festival to warn people about the dangers of mining it. Would the government support my attempt? Or let us say I need money to set up a cell dedicated to RTI follow-ups and prosecution. Would they be forthcoming with cash? This brings to us the difference between the government and individuals acting within a government. A government should support all cultural activities which are meant for the good of society but the sad truth is that it is just a bunch of people acting for their own interests. It suits their purposes to have these types of events because it keeps people distracted from asking real questions about development, often prickly questions.
In the last few months, the government has squeezed out money from each and every department and tried to ensure people knew it was government money by putting a logo neatly next to it. Sericulture supports Shillong Fashion Week but of course the state of sericulture within the state is woeful; actually did any designer use any fabrics made in Meghalaya? I have no idea how rock concerts are meant to sway people not to litter their surroundings when there are no garbage cans about. We have a good singer out on the national stage- Toshan Nongbet – but what business is it of the government’s to canvass for him? If he comes back home –victorious or not – will the state government fete him with wads of cash like Mary Kom? Wouldn’t it serve the state better in this regard to simply have better facilities for singers and performers under Arts and Culture? This direct interference is in bad taste and possibly counter-productive. If the MUA supported similar events from the other sections of society and if it had these events for other parts of the state I would probably keep quiet. Then again I might not because I do think that these flashy PR campaigns are just for show. Real work gathers its own loyalty.
Here is a little tip for the MUA, symbols do not mean a thing if they are not backed by results. How can one congratulate and commend oneself for something? It is up to the people to say that, not the people in government. I would actually be more interested in knowing how we are to sustain ourselves as a state economy. Unemployment levels are so high that at the NRHM a few months ago more than 200+ came for a single peon post. Most people coming back home with expectations realise harshly that there no one is hiring. The old officers keep getting extensions as though there are no other people capable of doing the job they are supposed to vacate. Many have good ideas for businesses but are immediately confronted by the banks telling them that they have no collateral so they can’t avail loans. Banks have no problem however in dishing out loan after loan to big businessmen who do nothing for generating employment for the tribal youths and who sit around getting rich from subsidies.
The solution, says the government, is to privatise everything. That way there’ll be more booze companies to sponsor events in Shillong, I think. FDI in retail, FDI in mining etc if these people had their way I am sure they would sell the state off piece by piece. FDI is easy you see, just sign papers and there are others to do the hard task of ruling for you. They should be more concerned with weeding out the profiteers in Byrnihat and the general Ri Bhoi district. They should actually be giving the subsidies to the people who need it most – the rural poor. Instead every dodgy character/organisation from the Mainland descends into the North East for a piranha feeding frenzy.
The other gift the government wants to give us is land alienation – this is my own “public advocacy” message, sorry. Lest we forget they have initiated steps to amend the Land Transfer Act. So while the lads are out at Langpih fighting external enemies, our own internals are thinking about how to realise their appetites for money. Many within the MUA own large tracts of land. Most have no love for farming or agriculture so the land they own ends up being quite useless. That is unless they can find buyers for their land. This is where the outsider “investor” comes in. It starts with bequeathing land away to officials but ends up somewhere else. After all, why should one destroy a winning strategy? I implore the civil society organisations to help us keep a close eye on these ‘dealings’, I do not know what other word to use really.
We can see that the Mukul Sangma-led government is very keen on visibility. Posters and ads, in print and video! Would I be wrong in saying that this is the most visible government we have had so far? In exchange for their pleasing us with events, all they want is obedience. We have to leave governing to them and not have bandhs, strikes, protests. They have made this very clear in their attempts to make these ‘weapons’ illegal. How are we to resist then? How do we reclaim power in our own everyday lives? When we do not agree with them, should we just keep quiet and turn away? Perhaps they can regulate them to an extent but to ban them- to make their way, the only way- now that is terrifying.