By Dr. Lakhan Kma
The words ‘status quo’ extensively used in political and legal circles and in disputes means ‘state in which’ in Latin. The Merriam-Webster Online dictionary describes it as ‘the existing condition or state of affairs’. Its first known use was in 1807 and these are the two words we Meghalayans love to use the most since our Statehood. We are so used to these words that we have developed an in-built immunity to it. I suspect that our gene pool must be having a special gene that confers us the special attraction to ‘status quo’. Let me elaborate this predicament. The love for ‘status quo’ seems to start right from home. Today, in spite of apparent problems and difficulties in relationships at home owing to internal bitterness, many parents prefer to maintain status quo. Neither one makes an extra effort to change for the better. The results are broken families, with several broken hearts percolating down to the kids. In the absence of the family fabric to bind them together, they become unruly. Such kids are susceptible to misguidance at the moulding stage and can become a nuisance to society in the long run. Turning a blind eye to things, which are wrong, is considered to be the safest bet.
Moving out of family, the ‘status quo’ culture transcends to our grass-roots governance system such as the Dorbar Shnong/traditional institutions. The Dorbar Shnong are champions of ‘status quo’ culture. Progressive ideas for inclusive development, better governance, equality, accountability, etc. are words that are alien to them. Whosoever proposes these ideas is considered an ‘outsider’ or under the influence of outsiders. Some of them are so in love with status quo that even while demanding greater administrative and financial empowerment from the government, are averse to the idea of election of members to the office of Dorbar Shnong through secret ballot. The status quo on non-inclusion of women in these self-governing institutions confirms our fake histrionic call for women’s empowerment and exposes our traditional set-up. The success of Panchayati Raj in most parts of rural India as a grass-roots governance system is due to election to various posts in the Panchayats. When an accountable and duly elected body exists, the Government does not hesitate to grant schemes and funds directly for overall development of areas under its jurisdiction. I hope this culture of status quo of our Dorbar Shnong will not last forever in this fast changing world.
From locality, let’s move to our government. In Meghalaya, our governments epitomize our obsession with status quo. This can be substantiated by the following examples to name a few.
Border demarcation: We have a separate State but we still do not have a well-defined boundary with the neighbouring state of Assam. For over 40 years, we maintained the status quo. The result is that people living in the border areas are faced with numerous atrocities from time to time at the hands of Assam police or their sponsored groups. This plight is never felt by people in power in Shillong. Definitely, it is the blind and deaf love for status quo of our politicians that is allowing its people to suffer for such a long time.
Negligence of rural areas: Enough time has passed but our rural areas have not improved beyond a certain point. Roads, transportation, electricity, school, health care facilities, etc. are in bad shape. The teachers, doctors, engineers, other officials attending to designated duties in rural areas on a daily basis are few. These add to the woes of the already impoverished village folks. Subsequent Governments have not changed anything because the love of status quo does not allow them to act judiciously.
Poor work culture: Meghalaya is famous for its poor work culture. Barring a handful of employees of the State and Central government, for most it is ‘go as you please’. All are happy with the status quo. Indeed, it is the duty of the Head of Office to enforce a work culture among the employees. Then because of love for status quo even the Chief Minister wants to extend the services of the Chief Secretary. I believe there is someone waiting to take over the baton, often a better one. Let us hope that things will change and the bad work culture does not continue as a status quo before it becomes incorrigible.
Assembly building: After more than 13 years Meghalaya still does not have its permanent Assembly building. Perhaps we hold the dubious distinction of being the only State in India without a permanent Assembly building. The status quo attitude is so deep-rooted that government after government failed to even designate a site for a new Assembly building even after wasting limited state resources. Amazingly, the influence of the culture of status quo spreads across all political parties.
Inner Line Permit issue: The Meghalaya Govt. led by Dr Mukul Sangma has maintained that ILP is not an effective tool to check influx and wants a status quo on this issue. But influx is a reality and one can only imagine how the MUA-II government is going to check influx. After the loss of precious lives and economic loss, no alternative to ILP is provided by the Meghalaya Government after the debacle of Meghalaya Landlords and Tenancy Regulation Bill 2013. With 12 Cabinet Ministers and more than 35 chairman/co-chairman/vice-chairman/deputy-chairman in different boards and corporations enjoying the perks and privileges from public money, it is unfathomable that a good legislation to control employment in private sector, tenancy, construction works, mining activities, etc cannot be formulated to deter influx. Are the MLAs (both ruling and opposition)waiting for the common person to formulate the legislation to safeguard their own existence? The status quo culture of our Government will take Meghalaya the Assam or Tripura way, unless immediate steps are taken to check influx.
Red beacons: This is the latest addition to our status quo list. The Supreme Court’s directive on use of red beacons only by constitutional heads did not go down well with the Meghalaya government which wants to maintain status quo even in this case. In spite of having a full-fledged Meghalaya High Court, the State Law Department is unable to define who the constitutional heads are. This delay suits all who are using the red beacon. Even before the Supreme Court directive about government employees both Central and State becoming VIPs and being entitled to a red beacon has always surprised me. Except for the pay scale, an officer or a cleaner are subjected to the same service rules and conditions as provided by law. Similarly, elected politicians who are actually public servants become VIPs after winning, which is equally appalling. The entitlement of a vehicle to commute to office does not make someone a VIP. But almost every ML-01 vehicle and some Central government vehicles allotted to different individuals has a red beacon. Meghalaya puts everyone to shame in terms of use of red beacons. Here, apart from government officials, all MLAs, ruling and opposition, and defeated MLAs of the ruling party who are appointed chairman/co-chairman/ vice-chairman/deputy-chairman of different boards and corporations, including their private vehicles are donned with red beacons and are self-designated VIPs. The only vehicles without the red beacon are the JNNRM buses and maxi taxis plying in the State. Let’s hope that the status quo on the unauthorized use of red beacon will be broken sooner than later, which will provide a sigh of relief to the general public.
Silence of opposition party: Opposition parties in Meghalaya have rarely mobilized people against the wrongdoings of the ruling party. They maintain the status quo of being ineffective. I have a special name for them- the White Collared Opposition. There is hardly an instance when a political party in opposition has come to street on any public issue to garner mass support. I have never heard of any opposition leader being water-cannoned or lathi-charged or remanded to custody for a good public cause. They prefer to talk and discuss in cosy places and issue statements to media about their displeasure on the functioning of government. At best they join the bandwagon of agitating NGOs, who have played a better role than the opposition parties in Meghalaya. They are scared that tomorrow they might be on the other side of the fence and repeating the same mistakes. Opposition parties here have always failed to put checks and balances on the functioning of the government.
These are some of the items in our ‘status quo’ list, but the list is not exhaustive. In conclusion, we the general public, government employees, opposition and ruling party must break the status quo on several burning issues in our State. We must admit that the ‘status quo’ position on important issues has led to civil unrest and allowed militancy to flourish as is happening in Garo Hills. We will continue to get what we deserve until we change this culture in us. If we are obsessed with status quo culture, precious life and property will be lost. Such precarious scenarios will only lead to the darkness of underdevelopment and inefficiency, under which only the corrupt will survive and rule. In our endeavour to break the ‘status quo’ culture, the government of the day has the moral and social responsibility to take the first step.
(The author teaches at North Eastern Hill University and can be reached at [email protected]).