By Toki Blah
The recent run-up to the 2013 Meghalaya General Assembly Elections has thrown into the open, a number of socio-political issues that affect the people of this state. Of interest is that they are chronic painful issues that we, as a society, shy away from and prefer to suffer in silence. A few cranks might, from time to time, come up with a call to arms against these ills that afflict us. These are usually greeted with a lot of appreciative ‘Oohs’ and ‘Aahs’ but impact of such attempts, on society at large, has been singularly disappointing. At most, these issues remain topics for discussion reserved for the kitchen, the sitting room and the bar of the Shillong Club only.
There is societal unwillingness to raise such topics in the public domain. Presumably tribal decorum (I presume. I am not certain) is mainly to blame as there is traditional reluctance to openly debate and critique those who rule over us. Criticism of rulers who might be powerful members of one’s clan; ones faith or ‘Good Persons’ liberal with their MLA funds is simply not done. In the process Good Governance might have gone to the dogs, but that’s besides the point and we prefer to remain silent about it. The elections this time have however pushed such niceties into the back burner. It’s a promising development, especially for a people who have always bemoaned the absence of public awareness on political issues but never questioned how this political awareness can take root in a society that shuns away from public debates on public related issues.
It was encouraging this time round to see young and concerned citizens of the state; people with no party affiliations, yet people with definite political awareness, coming out openly to articulate their views and opinions on the political developments around us. What they had to say was definitely not encouraging nor flattering to the system and its political managers. But what they had to say was an upfront expression of our own collective sense of unease on the direction politics has taken. Their voices conveyed the despondency over the lack of credible political leadership; absence of statesmanship; the complete dearth of vision and the general despair over Meghalaya’s future. Rudderless Meghalaya is exposed by an election that focused on money and personal attacks rather than debates and discussions on manifestoes and their implications. There is every reason to be alarmed!
If the elections this time has brought to the fore the genuine anxiety of our young people over the socio-political health of Meghalaya, it will not be out of context to begin with a worsening chronic ailment- the growing iniquitous relationship between money and politics. This election has thrown up two revealing aspects of this problem. On the one hand, public disgust and universal condemnation of the practice. Our survival instinct tells us that electoral victory based on money power is detrimental to the interest of the common man and good governance in particular. No sane person wants it!
On the other hand, there is contemptuous political disdain towards this particular public outrage. The political mindset argues, if use of money ensures electoral victory, why question the ethics? Ends justify means. The need to win and to attain power supersedes everything else including the wishes of the electorate. (Now hold your horses because elections are supposed to reflect the wishes of the people, are they not?). This is a typical issue that needs public discussion and debate not only on eve of elections but more importantly for the next five years. Are the people of Meghalaya ready for this?
Then there is that desperate but silent cry for quality leadership and effective governance, both of which Meghalaya is deficient of. It is a demand of the entire state. This cry for viable leaders capable of lifting the state from its present morass is so acute; so urgent and so wide spread especially among our youth, that for the first time in the history of Meghalaya, the SCYO&C, a Christian youth organisation, conducted mass prayer meets, praying for divine intervention to save us from a system that has failed. Reminiscent of supplications to God at times of imminent disaster, which for Meghalayan society on the eve of elections, appears to be one and the same. Such is the desperation in this state. A friend referred to 1st Epistle of St Paul to Timothy, Chapter 2: verse 1 -2. Its wordings cut across faiths and creeds as it speaks of ‘kings and those in authority’; of their mandate to provide a happy, peaceful and contented life to their subjects. I wish that our leaders, most who claim to be avid Christians, to sometimes look up the above verses. Might do them and all of us some good!
Today, the question doing the rounds in almost every household of Meghalaya is “What will the results of the 2013 Assembly hustings bring? What will they mean for us?” Questions driven by a desire for change as people look forward to a change for the better. Unfortunately we stand betrayed as the system has denied us this change. We have been forced to choose not from the best of the best but from the better of the worst. The sad and bitter truth is we will probably end up with just a change of faces; everything else will remain the same. The Congress is expected to emerge as the single largest party; the NPP and the UDP with 10 to 11 each; followed by the HSPDP with a share of below 5; NCP with perhaps 2 and a somewhat large contingent of independents. This is more or less the anticipated results. A fractured mandate; a hotch potch of parties with remarkably similar manifestoes and outlook but with a collective proven track record of incompetence to govern and rule.
Is it possible to predict the profile and composition of Government after the 28th Feb results? If past history and behaviour of our respected legislators is anything to go by, it shouldn’t be too difficult. In the first flush of election results, the emotional momentum of the just concluded elections would propel the various political dispensations into predetermined lines of action. The anti Congress stance from all will most probably bring about a coalition Govt of the UDP, NPP, HSPDP plus a few independents. This vague and ill defined nomenclature of ‘regionalism’ in the absence of a well defined mission and vision; constantly subjected to increasing enticements from the opposition Congress and plagued by its own inherent contradictions is expected to bring about the disintegration of the 1st Government sooner than later. It has happened before. No reason why it shouldn’t happen again.
There is expectation, and not without cause, that by the end of the 1st year, or even sooner, the Governor will once again have to sharpen up his mathematical skills to match up with the mathematics of Meghalaya politics. There will be demands for a show of strength on the floor of the house. Others will disagree and instead prefer to march up to Raj Bhavan with real or manufactured list of signatures. Complains, charges and counter charges of kidnapping, intimidations and inducements will once again hog the headlines. Once again it’ll be MLA for himself and the Devil take the hindmost.
Most likely another coalition headed by the Congress will then emerge but the drama continues, regardless. In- fighting within the Congress will now take over to resurrect, once again, the spectre of instability. They are good at it mind you! Meghalaya will be then faced with three options all of them repugnant to the interest of the state. Turmoil and chaos will be tolerated till 2018 when we will be asked once again to cast our votes. Bad option. Or Presidents rule will be imposed. Not a bad idea at all. Or Mid Term polls will be declared. The best of the three where we will be given another chance to redeem ourselves. I know there are many out there who will pooh-pooh the above projections. I wish I had their optimism and hope. I wish that they are proven right and I am proven wrong. It would be the happiest day of my life, but sadly “Que Sera Sera, what will be will be”.
(Writer is President of ICARE and can be contacted on [email protected])