By Patricia Mukhim
A society without thought leaders has no vision. It simply exists and grapples with mundane day to day problems. It cannot get too far. Its people wallow in this shallow pool of murky thoughts fed by fears of the ‘outsider’ and what he/she would do to the economy, society and polity. The pool is never regenerated. Hence the same thoughts are churned again and again to turn potent and result in bloodshed and violence. Politics is the one area where this vacuum in thinking and a somewhat prosaic and uninspiring existence continues. Most politicians are boring. They would not be able to hold the interest of an intelligent audience for more than a couple of minutes. There is no spark in their eyes; much less in what they have to say. What they say is not something we have not heard before. So it appears that innovative thinking is not part of our DNA. Perhaps this has to do with politicians having to cater to constituents who demand individual services. People hardly go to the MLA as a collective and for the greater good. Only the Rangbah Shnong and his Committee do that. The rest of us have learnt to outsource our problems to the so-called pressure groups with innovative names and acronyms, some, who confess upfront that they are anti-bourgeoisie and pro-peasantry.
In a democracy there is space for everyone. The bourgeoisie is on the rise; there are more people with disposable incomes today; they are able to go on holidays abroad on packages that are affordable and with their hard earned money. Hence for the anti-bourgeoisie to label every such person who shops online, goes clubbing and who has virtually moved up in life’s stations, to all be thieves is a bit of a sour grapes attitude. Such people spread large doses of pessimism and hopelessness. They project themselves as the only messiahs.
Hence it is a matter of great encouragement to have young scholars like Babet Sten, Fabian Lyngdoh, Phrangsngi Pyrtuh, Albert Thyrniang etc. speaking their minds on any and all issues without batting an eyelid. This is unusual for Khasi society. I have listened to people holding forth at funeral homes and other social gatherings but who do not have the courage of conviction to write. The excuse for not writing is usually the fear of criticism (the typical Khasi excuse …lah thait (tired) or ‘ki briew kin ong kumno (what will people say). I know for a fact that Fabian Lyngdoh has got some tongue lashing from fellow scholars who feel that he has exposed all the gaping faults of Khasi society. But Lyngdoh has stuck on and that is what an intellectual does. He carries on with his thought processes, no matter what because to stop thinking is to die inside! Socrates a philosopher and thought leader of his time had to drink hemlock; so how much more the lesser mortals.
But let me not digress. I have been around long enough and interacted with politicians at the state and the national level to be able to know if my inner compass is veering towards sycophancy, pure appreciation or admiration. The younger generation of politicians in the Congress Party at the national level are a brilliant lot; sharp as a whip and they know their onions. Their only handicap is that they are not spokespersons for their Party which continues to be led by Dynasty and one whose thinking and wit leaves much to be desired. Aren’t we all tired of hearing “suit boot ki sarkar” or “maut ka saudagar” to define the prime minister of the country? Even Donald Trump with his big, and putrid mouth does reserve some niceties while referring to President Barack Obama. After all, Obama is not just a politician but the leader of his country! But the Congress has not come to terms with losing power to a chai-wallah. Instead of getting their act together and allowing some of the more brilliant minds to lead it to a different and more creative trajectory, all we hear is of the Rahul Gandhi focussed padayatras and a few more wisecracks.
But then does the Congress in Meghalaya ever put on its thinking cap? Can it do so when led by an octogenarian President who at the prime of his career could never be credited for any landmark legislation? If Meghalaya is where it is today the Congress Part is largely to blame. But what about the regional parties? Do they ever brainstorm on issues that have far reaching effects on the economy and polity? Hardly ever! Do they have think tank? No they don’t.
Perhaps the only person that one would not be bored to listen to is Chief Minister Mukul Sangma. The man reads a lot and knows stuff that many of his colleagues would not even comprehend. He delightful on a one on one conversation and knows what’s wrong with Meghalaya and what needs to be fixed. But he cannot do so alone. And this is where we find a huge thought vacuum and energy in Meghalaya. Just think of the possibilities if all the other ministers worked as hard or read up or came up with innovative ideas! Do we believe that our PWD minister, a businessman to the hilt and owning a construction company would have the inclination to think of state building projects? What about the Education Minister? Does he use his scholarly credentials to think of innovative educational strategies for Meghalaya? Or does he leave that to the officers? It must be quite frustrating to be in Dr Mukul Sangma’s shoes and be surrounded by colleagues who have no creativity left except to plan and plot to unseat him.
The mark of a wise man is in what he reads and feeds his mind. Not all of us have all the ingenuity of a Plato or a Socrates or the trained and scholarly mind of a Joseph Stiglitz or an Amartya Sen but we can all read up and learn. In that respect, Paul Lyngdoh the former student leader turned politician does have an enviable library and he does read and think too. I only wonder why he has stopped writing. But he too happens to be in a regional party where people have stopped thinking except about when they might be able to come to power. Afflicted with a poverty of ideas, for the UDP and the HSPDP, unseating the Congress is a delusion of grandeur. Some bright wit was suggesting that the only way the UDP can come to power is by piggy-back rid ing on PA Sangma’s NPP in the Garo Hills. The UDP has no presence in Garo Hills. Even its base in the Khasi Jaintia Hills is weakening. At this rate it would be difficult to stop the Congress in its tracks. The less said about the BJP in Meghalaya the better. The Party has no stomach for change and wants to remain in the periphery making occasional noises. It does not even have a think tank worth contending with. Hopefully the versatile Nalin Kohli who is also the Party Spokesperson and has taken over the reins of the Party here in Meghalaya and will bring in some incremental changes.
While the term thought leadership is a marketing jargon used to describe a futurist or person who is recognized among his peers for innovative ideas and one who demonstrates the confidence to promote and share those ideas as actionable, distilled insights, it is well suited to politics and governance too. Whether we like it or not the voter today is a client who demands certain services. The delivery of such basic services such as uninterrupted power supply, potable water, good roads, sanitation and cleanliness, health and education are what clients demand. And politicians are not patrons who pick and choose those they wish to serve and ignore others. It does not work that way. If you are elected from the Congress party you also have to serve those who voted other parties. If you don’t, then expect to get the boot next time around. The voter is no longer willing to settle for crumbs. Even the rural voter is now wise enough to know which political party can deliver the goods. But political parties cannot progress without thinking. An unthinking political party is a dead weight. There is now in Meghalaya a young, dynamic, learned constituent that wants to enter politics not only to make money but to make a difference in the lives of the people. We should encourage such young politicians and ease out those who have stopped thinking. Also we should encourage these young thought leaders to join politics instead of relying on the tried and tested pressure groups whose ethical base is often bankrupt.