By Toki Blah
Well at long last the Election Commission of India finally made up its mind and Meghalaya is going to the polls on the 27th of February 2018, and that’s it. It’s a declaration all of us have been expecting. Accompanying this expectation was also a strong anticipation for change. Politicians and political parties of all hues, not to be left behind, also put in their penny’s worth about their take on change. Unfortunately as usual, the political definition of change differed vastly from the public’s perception of change. One tried to find out our politicians definition of “change”? Fantastic answers came out. First and foremost they wanted a change from the present Government. It’s not hard to understand; it has a definite ring of clarity about it and is accompanied with a fierce determination to occupy the vacuum expected to be created. Other aspects of change however were vague and hazy ranging from a change from the present (no one was quite sure as to what was wrong with the present). Better prospects for future generations (totally insensible to what our future generations needed) Wiping away corruption (No one has a clue nor the will on how to proceed) Better everything for everyone (everyone was unanimous on this one). Huge enthusiasm on generalities but start asking about specifics and everyone scoots for cover. So much for a political concept on change!
So before we actually line up before the polling booths lets accept reality and reality is that, despite the political hype, there’s not much hope for any worthwhile change! At least that’s the way I see it and I would be the first to eat my own words if anyone can prove me wrong. One looks forward to change if it is a change for the better. Only fools, idiots and imbeciles welcome change that brings no transformation or only worsen things from what they already are. People in the know are already speaking about a hung Assembly and a succession of kitchri Governments; of chronic political instability; of horse trading of the worst kind; of down slide in governance as never before seen in this state of ours. No one’s trying to be cynical or pessimistic but a political silver lining on the horizon, after 3rd March 2018, seems as farfetched as snow on a hot summer afternoon. The sad conclusion one comes to is that real meaningful change will be as elusive as the rainbow. Players remain the same and there will simply be a switching of uniforms and symbols. The standard and level of governance will remain the same if not worse. It’s pure nonsense of course but that is the only change we are likely to get. Period!
So in the likelihood of politicians once again pulling the wool over our eyes, what exactly is the change that the common man with common sense, really wants? Let’s, if only for satisfactions sake, try to pin point the areas where the common man wants to see change take place. Of first priority is the common desire to see the economic regeneration of Meghalaya. If this takes place 80% of our troubles would fade away. Since the beginning of time the economy of these hills depended on upland agriculture which at best is a sustenance type of agriculture. It’s a hand to mouth activity with scant economic benefit for our farmers. Meghalaya has for the last 46 years, neglected a sector that employs more than 80 % of the population and is an economic activity that has never crossed the 2% growth mark. For half a century Meghalaya has solely depended on Central doles for survival. Local self generation of revenue has never gone beyond the rat hole mining of coal. No Govt has ever tried to come up with an alternate sustainable, ecologically acceptable economic paradigm for the state and its people. Here is the priority area where change in thinking, approach, perception and implementation of Governance is urgently called for. From the faces that are likely to fill up the State Assembly post March 2018, thinking would be the last thing we can expect! Come to think of it, is it really worthwhile to waste our time voting?
The second area of change that the common man would like to witness a transformation is in the area of employment and livelihood. There is an urgent need to do away with the popular belief that only Govt Is capable of offering employment. Govt has frankly admitted that this is a fallacy. The truth is this total dependency on Govt jobs, on Govt contracts and supply; on teaching jobs must go. It must be replaced by the emergence of private entrepreneurship at every village of the state. Govt must stop behaving as if it is the sole patron to give employment. Instead it must start facilitating the creation of employment capable activities. It must identify developmental sectors capable of absorbing such facilitation. Tourism is one such sector. Why can’t we start doing something about it instead of just jawing about it? Simply talking about tourism potentials but doing nothing is creative inertia which most of our politicians shamelessly indulge in. Here is where positive political intervention by way of political think tanks is called for. At the time of writing one is happy to note the setting up of prefabricated public toilets in West Khasi Hills. It’s bound to impact and boost tourism. People are enthusiastic about it. Sadly one has yet to hear any positive reaction from our political masters. Yet they are the people who speak of change. What Bl…y change?
Yet as we speak, the areas and sectors crying for positive change in Meghalaya are many and varied. How can we speak about uplifting the future of our children and bringing change for the future if we continue to neglect the education and health of our future generations? India Today magazine carried out its annual State of the states report where Meghalaya was found to be at the bottom of all indicators relating to the above mentioned infrastructural sectors. We try, yes we do try to deny such discriminating reports but the fact also remains that Meghalaya Assembly discussions seldom find mention about the state of our education and Health Care systems. It exemplifies, as nothing ever would, the priority our legislators give to these basic needs of the population. Transportation, communications and roads form another sector that impacts on the development of our state. Are we likely to hear more Assembly discussions, debates, legislative concern and meaningful proposals on the above in the next five years? If you believe that you will believe anything! So what change are our politicians talking about?
Let’s accept a hard truth and that politics in Meghalaya is all about business and how to make money and the less said about public service the better. The most glaring example of this is in the so called MLA scheme, a scheme on how to legally fitter away money that does not belong to you. Everyone should first of all realise that we are talking about public money and not someone’s private bank account. Last heard each MLA has voted Rs 2 crore/year for himself and it is likely to increase in the very near future. Currently it is 60 x2 x 5 = 600 crores down the drain every five years and Meghalaya has the nerve to talk of shortage of funds for Education, Health Care and roads. It is the fervent hope of every MLA that this manna from heaven will continue to eternity. Ironically however it is from this fountainhead of corruption that change, for the better, may perhaps finally emerge. A pro active judiciary may just start, suo-moto on its own, to question how 600 crores of public money is being utilised or misutilised by our MLAs. A serious probe may ultimately result in a few careless MLAs ending up behind bars for embezzlement of public funds. If it can happen to Lalu Prasad Yadav why can’t it happen to Bah X or Musa Y? Somehow I have a feeling, deep in my bones, that a judicial surgical strike of this nature will be the start of a change for the better. Well Hope does burn eternal in the human breast! Meghalaya too can hope.