By Toki Blah
All of us complied, we got our Abode in the Clouds but together with our elected leaders, we forgot the vision and direction that Meghalaya was supposed to take. Then for half a century we carried on with unsubstantiated, unfounded and fairy tale promises of a golden tomorrow, which simply never came.
The agitation by SSA teachers deprived of their salaries has just ended. Teachers’ agitations are only one of the myriad other cases of already conveyed grievances or yet to be exposed cases of injustice in Meghalaya, waiting to be assuaged through agitations. We have had public grievances and resentment relating to purchase of sub-standard power meters, not –up- to- scratch power supply scenarios, collapsing domes and buildings, leaking bus sheds, today repaired ,tomorrow –worse –than –before roads and bridges, most of the above undertaken by companies owned by a powerful business enterprise within the Government itself. If this is not fraudulent misconduct, misuse of power and open-handed larceny, then I have yet to understand the meaning of corruption. We now have taxi fares decided by cab drivers in open defiance of a weak-kneed transport Minister. Add to that a failing education system that brought us within 50 years from one of the best to one of the worst performing states, growing unemployment, fading hopes and growing frustration of every section of our society and all these are waiting to be addressed through agitations.
Now what does one call the above type of governance and public service that gives cause for such anger from the public? If one is to believe the partners of this MDA Govt, then its just a passing phase that will be rectified once they are re-elected in 2023. On the other hand, totally independent and impartial observers call them symptoms of a failed state! So if we are already a Bimaru state then who is to blame and why? Is it the politicians and parties who promised us the moon and then delivered lumps of stinking dung instead? Or is it the illiterate ignorant electorate itself, who see elections as Government-sanctioned fun filled holidays instead of accepting them as exercises involving the serious business of governance where our own fate and destiny are decided? Let’s try and analyse where and how Meghalaya has gone wrong.
Let’s start from the beginning, a very good place to start. Let’s start with people and political parties who promised us, 50 years ago, Paradise in the Clouds, if only they were elected to power. All of us complied, we got our Abode in the Clouds but together with our elected leaders, we forgot the vision and direction that Meghalaya was supposed to take. Then for half a century we carried on with unsubstantiated, unfounded and fairy tale promises of a golden tomorrow, which simply never came. 50 years down the line we suddenly discovered ourselves neck deep in a septic tank; paradise is no longer being promised for 2023, for the focus of Meghalaya politics has dramatically changed. From the usual “ Elect us so that we can serve you better,” when the appeal or lie, it’s the same whatever you call it , was still in vogue, it has now spectacularly degenerated in tone and tenor to “Please help us win this election because all the others are frauds”. There, have you seen the change in approach? Before it was “elect us to serve you better” today it is “Help us form the next Government.” The change is so blatant, so noticeable, so shameless. Elections nowadays are no longer the exercise to improve governance for the betterment of the people. Elections for our netas has now simply become a contest to prove the strength of one political party over the other. A game, where the stakes are open access for five years to the coffers of the Government. One can ask, what about the people? The answer- People? What bloody people? You mean the idiots that voted us to power? Their mouths have been silenced with money ! They no longer enjoy any rights. We have purchased them all. Now leave us in peace to plunder and rape for the next five years. The History of Meghalaya politics written as it really is! There is no vision, no roadmap, no foresight, simply “grab Power to make Money”.
Let us accept with all humility and honesty that we have never bothered what elections are all about. Let us admit that we thought they were all about electing good men/women who would forever be at our personal beck and call, paying for our picnics, paying hospital bills and children’s school fees. Good men are those who freely distribute money while campaigning. We never linked elections with a person’s administrative capability; his educational qualifications; his competence to frame laws and policies for the good and welfare of the state; the Party’s capacity to visualise the future of the state and its people. No Sir, all these things had been neglected in our obsession to get all the good persons to power. We convinced ourselves that Laws and Policies were for the birds. For us picnics, handouts, emotional and sentimental orations over our ‘golden past and dangerous future for acceding to India’ were what we wanted to listen to and hear. Well we received them in full measure for the last 50 years and look where they got us? Like the Americans would say “Up shit creek” ! No voter or electorate has ever bothered to question or ask his candidates and their parties about manifestos or what they intend to do after they win.
Manifestos in Meghalaya politics are 11th hour afterthoughts, prepared to satisfy the Election Commission than listing the priorities of the state and the strategies of the party towards meeting them. Our politicians have never bothered as to the direction or goal they are to pursue once they have been elected. (“To sa ia peit pat. Pynjop shuwa, kita baroh kin sa wan”) We’ll see about that later. First make us win and all those things will happen once we are in power” and like sheep being led to the slaughter we said “Yes Sir, Three bags Full Sir”.
Our politicians and their parties are not likely to change. They are out to con and befool us once again. Let’s accept that. If we want a future for ourselves we will have to draw it up ourselves and make our politicians agree to our demands. That’s how it should be done. Let’s do it for 2023.
Let me now put my money where my mouth is and try to come up with a bullet point list of what we the people expect from our honourable politicians. We won’t tax the poor Dears nor their brains. We’ll prepare it for them. They only have to spell out how they intend to make it happen for us, not for them. That’s quite fair I think, so here goes – The People’s Minimum Programme of expectations from netas who will form the next Government:
1. Creation of sustainable infrastructure should be the main focus of the next government. Infrastructure should include (a) a holistic, quality based education Policy and system geared towards the future (b) efficacious Health Care amenities for all (c) meaningful and livelihood centred agriculture policy for rural areas (d) durable and sturdy communication/transport facilities throughout the state (e) meaningful and implementable employment policy for our youth (f) sustainable environment for our future.
2. Identifying and developing the economic potential of Meghalaya is crucial. Coal, limestone mining are not the only options. They might line the pockets of politicians but have contributed zero to the welfare of the common man. Stop wasting precious time and resources on such issues. Instead we need a Roadmap on how to achieve overall sustainable economic development through proper management of other resources that we have. Such resources are (a) our salubrious climate, topography and inbuilt social hospitality for sustainable tourism (b) Educational tourism and Health tourism hold immense potential (c) our English speaking assets / human resources within an internet connected globalised world needs to be explored.
3. We need political consensus on the issue. Drop political animosity and work together instead for the interest of the people. Political parties must elaborate how they intend to make this consensus on economic development happen.
4.The state needs Lawmakers and not Lawbreakers. How the political parties plan to elevate electoral politics to this critical level of political ethics and propriety is their business, but it’s needed. The people are not interested in the beloved “winnability” factor of politics. We are more interested in people who can deliver, not suck and steal from us.
These are the few minimum crucial points the electorate must take up and ask from politicians and their parties when they come to seek our votes. Point is they must come prepared to serve for the next 5 years. They must come prepared and answer the issues of the people. They must come not as candidates seeking employment for the next five years but as leaders with the vision and wisdom to lead the state for the next five years. They are our representatives to make us proud, not clowns to make us the laughing stock of the whole world. That’s the essence of democracy. We need it so let’ s demand it!