By Albert Thyrniang
It’s now official and definite. The Election Commission of India has announced the elections to the 9th Meghalaya Legislative Assembly. The D-day will be 23rd February, 2013. From now on, animated talks in public and in private, at home and in offices, in the street and in market places, even in sacred and religious places will be the elections. Die hard supporters of political parties and candidates have already decided whom to cast their vote for. To be realistic, nothing more can be done! There are perhaps, however, thousands of fence-sitters, un-proclaimed and indecisive voters who would like to ask the question, ‘whom to vote’? The question is of paramount importance. Let me do some canvassing. On 23rd vote for the following candidate:
A person of integrity: An honest, morally upright, transparent, a person with a clean image. A person with no criminal background would be called a person with integrity. The Indian Express in its report dated December 20, 2012 titled, “2012 Yearender: Meghalaya rocked by scams” dubbed 2012 a year of scams in the Abode of Clouds. The CBI unearthed the job scam involving ministers, legislators and top-notch politicians, the forest scam in which cement companies violated the Forest Act 1980 in the limestone-rich Jaintia Hills district/s as forest officials and politicians received kick backs and the food scam under the Integrated Child Development Scheme (aimed at reducing child malnutrition and abysmal maternal heath) in which Rs 24 crores were misused by the supply of substandard, unhealthy foodstuff to children. The years before 2012 were the same. And we have already begun 2013 with the fund misappropriation slur against GAD Minister, and Pynthorumkhrah MLA, AL Hek. Corruption, the commonest reality takes place because values are replaced by a moral bankruptcy and a blunt conscience. In public life, we urgently need persons with impeccable integrity who will not entertain corruption, bribe and kick backs. Vote for such a person (if there is one) without a second thought.
A candidate who has a concrete programmes and plans: A candidate worth his/her salt will have a definite plan for his/her constituency. He/she knows about the issues concerning the political segment he/she is going to represent. He/she knows about the problems, difficulties and hardship of the people he/she is going to work for. After a survey the candidate should concretely and specifically list those issues in black and white and try to address them on priority basis once he/she is elected. Someone had lamented that, till date, no political party has come up with a manifesto for the upcoming elections. He sarcastically said that these days parties need ‘moneyfesto’ not manifesto. In the absence of a manifesto on what basis do the voters vote? Independent of whether the candidate’s party has a manifesto or not, he/she should have his/her own plans and programmes for the constituency for the next 5 years. This is truer of independent candidates. ‘Failing to plan is planning to fail’ goes the saying.
A candidate who can legislate: The primary duty of legislators is to legislate or make laws. This is the job of the legislators. That’s the reason why they are called so. Look for a person who can make laws not merely implementing MLALADs/MPLADs schemes. Look for a person who can debate in the Legislative Assembly on our behalf. Look for a person who can take our views, opinions and aspirations to the exclusive house. If legislators don’t perform this duty the very purpose of electing them is defeated. They fail in their duties. In the past we have had legislators who had created history for not uttering a single word in the Assembly during their 5 (plus) year tenure. We have seen people who snored in the House and beat up journalists who photographed them. Not only are they are incapable of making laws, they break them. It’s high time we perceive our public representatives differently. We have to expect much more from our legislators than they normally do. Know this fact: it is legislation that brings changes in the society more than anything else. Examples are the RTI, the Food Security Law, etc. We have now the RTE. If implemented in letter and spirit it will bring unparalleled changes in our education scenario. Vote for the candidate who is capable of making laws to transform our socio-economic situation. For this graduation is the basic educational qualification.
An empowerment-inclined candidate: Vote for a candidate who promises to empower the poor, powerless and the marginalized. We need people who teach how to fish rather than giving fish. We need people who look for permanent solutions. There are too many representatives who can’t think beyond distributing sports goods, utensils, plastic furniture, blankets, tools and implements, make donation at funerals and weddings. They do this year after year. These tiny and insignificant deeds are but temporary interventions. They are not going to make a lasting difference in the lives of people. Sadly, candidates get elected/re-elected on the basis of being good Samaritans. Change this trend and vote for those who will work for empowerment of our masses. Them, we need who think, dream and deliver big!
A rural development-oriented candidate: Rural Meghalaya needs good roads, water and electricity supply, good schools and colleges, functioning health care centres and hospitals, offices and banking facilities. Rural Meghalaya lacks in all the above. Roads are rough, bumpy and unmotorable. In many villages there are only electric posts and pipes sans water and electricity. Schools in the villages (particularly governments’) are non-functioning, buildings are dilapidated, teachers are irregular and results are pathetic. Health care centres and hospitals are ill-equipped with minimum staff. Banking facilities are non-existent. Even the ‘Nongkyndong Bank’ branches are only situated in towns. Why on earth are they called so?
There is a concentration of development in urban areas particularly the state capital. My earlier remarks, ‘Shillong is not Meghalaya’ and ‘Shillong is not part of Meghalaya’ in this page have, with good reasons, upset some people. They are right. Shillongites are not to be blamed. The blame, wholly and squarely, goes to the public representatives from the rural areas who have worked only for their own interests. Their movable and immovable assets have multiplied manifold but their constituencies have become poorer. They seem to have twisted the biblical dictum, “I must increase, my people must decrease.” Some of them have been public servants for all their lives but have done absolutely nothing. A candidate who promises to narrow the rural and the urban divide, bridge the gap between the rich and poor, the rural and the urban population, bring about a balanced, inclusive and sustainable development must be elected.
A younger candidate: All are in favour of younger leaders to represent us. The younger generations are with new and noble ideas, energy and enthusiasm, zeal and dynamism, more in tune with the present trend and reality, willing to change and adapt, qualified and even specialized in a discipline. They are eager for change and want fast track improvement. Unfortunately, there are veterans, who, though age has caught up with them, are refusing to retire gracefully or take a back seat. They don’t acknowledge that there is time for everything. They don’t allow younger talented leaders to succeed them thus endangering their very political career. We also have some of the Council of Ministers who cannot keep pace with the young Chief Minister. Old is gold yes, but no one is indispensible. Vote for younger candidates on February 23.
On 28th we will know our 60 representatives. Who will be there? What kind of representatives will we get? Give a serious thought because once we press the button of the voting machine nothing more can be done. It’s a one time action. It can’t be repeated. The electronically designed machine won’t accept even if we repent. We have a good one month to consider the options available to us and decide on the best candidate. If the exercise of our franchise is judicious and thoughtful we will have done justice to our democratic right and duty. We only reap what we sow!