By Toki Blah
If today one were to ask, ‘What is it that Meghalaya needs most ?’, there should be no surprise that the answer from a majority of the population would be ‘Let peace, tranquillity and normalcy reign once more!’. The word ‘Majority’ denotes that perhaps there is a minority that wishes to keep the pot boiling. The Govt and its agencies claim that there are those who are out to foment trouble and the Govt with all the intelligence agencies and resources at its disposal should know better. So who am I to question the stand of the Government but I do have the right to ask that how is it possible for peace and tranquility to return when passion, suspicion and mistrust continue to run amok? Social composure can once again prevail only if rumours and hearsay are kept at bay. Social calm can only come back when reason, rationality, logic and common sense are allowed to re-enter and take charge of our day to day thinking process. It is not possible for peace to return as long as belief, community conviction, confidence and public trust relies solely on the temper and frame of mind of the mob at Motphran. Where are the institutions and leaders who used to mould, guide and form public opinion in Khasi society? Where are they? In our hour of need we cry out for leadership that can clear the mist of doubts from our minds but the only response we get is from social media with all its rancorous, bitter and often venomous messages and posts. Society has allowed itself to be roused by rumours, gossip, fake news and opportunistic rabble rousers. The roar of the mob takes precedence. The calamity of this generation of Khasis is that there are simply no leaders to lead the people. It’s as simple and tragic as that !
A community in a permanent crisis mode is how someone chose to describe contemporary Khasi society. Personally I feel it is an unfair assessment. We are as good or as bad as any other human society. Relevant question however is do we, right now, really have a major crisis in our hands? There are two issues of priority we have to address. Firstly law and order has to be maintained, at all costs, to bring back amity and calm within the city. Secondly, it is only when normalcy returns that the High Level Committee set up by the Government to find a solution to the crisis can really do what is expected of it. As someone said a crisis has two sides, depending on how we look at it. A crisis can be seen as a threat but at the same time it can also be perceived as an opportunity. So far, we as a society, have preferred to see only the threat – the threat of a communal face off; the threat of further clashes with the security forces. The threat of confrontation flickers continuously on our radar screens! We fail to see the opportunity that hovers in the background. The opportunity of engaging with each other; of all stakeholders coming together on the negotiating table; of engaging with the Government; the opportunity of coming up with an amicable solution to the festering problem of Them Iewmawlong; the opportunity of giving Shillong the facelift it so badly needs. This is where the issue of visionary leadership within our society assumes such critical dimension. Question is – Does such leadership exist within Khasi society?
How does leadership emerge and from where? In days gone by, through the sword; by lineage or perhaps from religious demagogues. Today in a democratic setup like ours, leadership supposedly emerges from the ballot box. In a participatory democracy, governance is expected to be carried out through the active and constant engagement of the political class with other forms of social organisations, be they cultural, economic or religious in nature. Engaging socially through discussions, debates and social interfacing is a recognised way of defusing social tensions and conflict. Engaging with each other eliminates potential misunderstandings; helps in the assimilation of different perspectives; it brings out fresh ideas and most importantly it encourages the emergence and identification of future leaders committed to the concepts of democratic leadership. Sadly such practices are shunned in Meghalaya. In our society we identify leadership solely by its ability to challenge and confront Government; say the most idiotic rubbish; testify to the highest level of nonsense; advocate for the most ludicrous policy, as long as Government is challenged and confronted, we have a leader! It’s a stupid notion but its practiced all the same. Government is composed of representatives we ourselves elected but the minute a Government is formed, it will be instantly suspected of foul play, accused of treachery, charged with corruption, of betrayal, of being anti people! Opportunistic rogues surface with ‘Ka sur u paidbah’( the voice of the people) as their mantra while in reality it is ‘ka sur u paidbhur’ ( the senseless roar of the mob) that they advocate. Are these leaders?
Within the ambit of a Parliamentary Democracy, we claim we live in, Party politics has assumed upon itself the mandate of providing the state and society with the leaders it desires. Come elections and everyone enthusiastically participates in this major exercise of leadership identification. Pertinent question is the background of such leaders. In the early days of statehood, lawyers, academicians and eminent respected social figures contested and governed Meghalaya. In the previous Assembly there were two doctorates from NEHU. Their contribution to the welfare and upliftment of society is unquestionable and impeccable. Today the pool from which we draw leadership has changed. As mentioned above the ability to confront the establishment forms the main criteria and leaders of Pressure groups lead the pack. Members of the Autonomous District Councils are not far behind as our ADCs, all led by desperate wannabe MLAs, have found it electorally more profitable to challenge the Government of the day rather than to cooperate and work with it. The next rung of political leadership is then composed of Government contractors and suppliers together with barons of the coal mafia. If the truth be said, it is a group of rich people more comfortable with manipulating and dodging Government dues than collecting them. Dislike, loathe and abhor it as much as we like, the fact remains that the above form the majority of the leaders we have imposed upon ourselves. When mediocrity governs can dissatisfaction be far behind?
In the final analysis we suddenly realise that it is not Them Iewmawlong, nor Langpih, nor the dread of unregulated influx, nor the sky falling on our heads that are the real threats we face. The real threat lies in society’s inability to produce the leaders that it really needs. The leaders of today are there for the power only and nothing else. The ability to lead, to govern, to rule has been given short shrift. It is the biggest crisis of Meghalaya especially of the Hynniewtrep people- the acute crisis of leadership identification. The Khasi Pnars have lost the art of identifying creditable leaders. Period! If we accept this fact then its time to act! Here is where the voice of the people ought to make itself heard. With one voice we must demand for the emergence of visionary and capable leaders who will lead the society for the next 100 years. We have the institutions to spearhead such a movement. We have the clans. Clans should unite and with one loud voice call for sensible leadership to emerge. Not selfishly for the clan alone but for the community as a whole. We have the Church. Nothing wrong if the definition and quality of leadership becomes the sermon from the pulpit. We also have our Hima and Dorbar shnong, the traditional Institutions we respect and listen to. Can these time honoured establishments also add the wisdom of tradition in the call and search for viable leadership? We have already lost precious time but we can still recover. I sincerely believe it’s time to start thinking out of the box; for the community to do pre- screening leadership identifying exercises before political candidates are let loose on a gullible and credulous electorate. The qualities of leadership need to be pre-determined and our political parties have miserably failed us on this score. ‘Ka sur u paidbah’ needs to trumpet this socio-political need of the hour. We can ill afford to allow ‘ka sur u paidbhur’ to take over our daily lives.