By Albert Thyrniang
The MDA Government has spent nine crore rupees for the controversial Cherry Blossom festival. The Me’gong festival got more or less the same amount. The exchequer also extends financial assistance to the 100 drums Wangala festival, the Behdienkhlam, the Shad Nongkrem and numerous other festivals. The Government may not even have the complete list of the festivals with the corresponding amounts allotted for each. The budgetary allocation for the year 2022-23 is Rs 20 crore for 19 festivals including the Cherry Blossom festival, the Shillong literary festival, the Me’gong festival, the Meghalaya film festival, etc. For Sports and Youth Affairs Rs 208 crore is earmarked. The budget boasts of an aggregate investment for youth in 2022-23 to be Rs 1,363 crore.
Questions have been raised, and rightly so, as to why ‘poor’ Meghalaya has to be so lavish on festivals. The second poorest state in the country has no dearth of funds for celebrations. Huge amount of money is spent for bringing international bands and stars.
For the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival the American chart-topper, Ne-Yo alongside Ronan Keating and our local bands were brought in. The ‘90s pop band Vengaboys travelled to the Me’Gong festival in Jengjal . Critics claim the phenomenal amount is a scandalous wastage. The Government defends this by stating that the festivals promote tourism and that what the ‘lakhs’ of tourists who brought money on food, hotels, tours, purchases and other services far surpasses the Government’s expenditure. The convinced detractors assert that the Government does not even know the number of tourists who visit the state on the festive days. The claims and counter claims are healthy. It is criticisms that have forced the Government to promise to review both the Cherry Blossom and Me’gong festivals. Hope a clear picture of the boon and bane will emerge to determine future festivals.
The Government is staunch in its conviction that the festivals promote local talents. Local artistes also vouch for the Government’s policy. The platforms mean a lot for not only budding as well as professional talents but we cannot also deny that festivals, celebrations and sports events are lullabies. They induce a false sense of good disposition. They distract the public from the mis-governance, failures and short-comings of the Government. They may stop the public from criticising the government of the day.
Last July a football tournament was ‘sponsored’ by a local MLA in a playground adjacent to a main road. They road was (probably is still) full of potholes. Vehicles had to move on first gear. Huge crowds witnessed the matches. The biggest throng was of course on the final day. The MLA was the chief guest. On the grand finale the organisers were all praise for the honourable member. The crowd cheered for him loudly. They even shouted ‘long live our MLA’. They all forgot about the bad road 50 meters from the podium. In fact the roads in the locality and the whole area were in the same condition. No one complained about the pathetic roads. On another tourney the venue was at a village ground where a dilapidated LP government school also stands. The organisers, the players and the attendants, all ignored the half-fallen tin roof, the broken doors, windows, desks and benches and worn out floor of the school in the village. But they happily applauded the MLA for the donations for jerseys, balls and the funds for the tournament.
Does not the Government expect festivals to have the same effect? Proceed a bit ahead of Bhoirymbong you will ride on ‘rock ‘n’ roll’ roads. The border villages, where basic amenities are absent are not far from the venue of the Cherry Blossom festival. The Wangala and Me’gong festivals were held in ‘Baljek Airport’. How come festivals in an Airport? This Government has approached the central government for funds for an international airport when we can’t even make the one we have, functional. Festival enthusiasts won’t point out these facts to the ‘benevolent’ government. Surely the organisers of the various Meghalaya festivals have seen ramshackle government school buildings; certainly packed crowds at the Cherry Blossom and Me’gong festival have traversed through horrible roads in the state but for the sake of good music they don’t matter. An artiste who was part of the Cherry Blossom festival was asked to comment on the acts of omission and commission of the government, in a panel discussion. His reply was, ‘I am not a politician. What I can say is that the festivals benefit local artistes.’ The counter question to the artiste is – should artistes be concerned only about themselves?
Most of the festival goers are young voters. Not that they should stay away from such celebrations but should they also not be concerned with the ills of the state? Are we seeing enough youths who voice their distress at the various issues facing the state? Even as we are still in a celebratory mode Rs 13 crore ‘scam’ has surfaced in the East Garo Hills’ eco-tourism project. Illegal wood mills openly operate in Garo Hills while the authorities look the other way. Worse than the illegal mills are the illicit coal mining and transportation! The Meghalaya High Court has to summon the SP of East Jaintia Hills. An FIR has also been filed by former MLA, Rophul S Marak on the rampant coal mining in South Garo Hills. The ex- Rongara-Siju representative fears that the recent e-auction in the East Jaintia Hills District is but a disguise to facilitate illegal transportation. What is the response of the youth to these adverse realties in the state?
The festival lovers might also be aware of the alarming statistics of children smokers. The touching story of Daphi was narrated in this newspaper. Many have reacted to draw a larger picture of prevalent poverty in the state. No less serious is the menace of drugs. The Government says the centre is on a war against drugs. The MDA government has signed a pack with religious bodies and other groups to defeat the enemy. More bad news: the cases of HIV among adults in this state are higher than national average. What is the response of the young generation these grim happenings? Have we seen youth groups and associations volunteering to be part of the solution? Or do we largely have a carefree group who loves partying? Now that Christmas and the New Year are fast approaching, we will see vigorous religious and ‘worldly’ celebrations while we remain indifferent to substantial matters?
The front page report on this paper on December 5 is not shocking for those who know how things work. One of the reasons responsible for delays in executing road projects in the state is due to the ‘constant interference by myriad local youth who harass workers and exploit the contractors of central government projects.’ Youth have become a road-block to development. Youth are holding Meghalaya back to lag behind other north eastern states. Less than 100 km away from Shillong the city of Guwahati is progressing at a terrific pace. Flyovers after flyovers have been inaugurated. The first flyover in our state capital is not even a dream. If we want excellent roads and mega projects we need specialised labourers and firms from outside the state. We just can’t do it by ourselves. There are no multi-million construction companies here. After procedure has been followed why harass labourers? In the 21st century why should documented labourers be beaten up? Why are offices of licenced companies shut down? Phobia won’t take us far.
It is common knowledge that pressure groups, who are mainly youths demand money from companies. If compliance is wanting the officials and workers are harassed and threatened. A project may even be opposed. In the late 90s early 2000s the Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) constructed a road from Wahkaji to Mawthabah and other mining locations. Allegedly a pressure group that received the contracts favoured the road while others who did not financially benefit opposed the project. Love for the ‘Jaitbynriew’ was never the motivating factor.
In 2019 the first time voters were 76,000 or 4.6% of the total voters. If the data of voters below 30 and 40 (youth category) is available it would work out to about 40 percent of voters. A formidable force indeed! Do the youth merely vote but are largely disengaged with affairs of the state? It is true that youth groups have detected the alleged fund embezzlement of Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM) in West Garo Hills and raised the alarm at the shoddy work on Dawki-Amlarem-Jowai road but such cases are rare and not sustained. Groups are obsessed with ILP and the railways and other sentimental issues but there is none to challenge corruption, illegality, poverty, social evils and a host of other crucial concerns. The music of Ne-Yo and the Vengaboys are captivating, fascinating and enchanting but youth power is also to be utilised for nation building.
We also often see that festivals turn political. The couches and sofas on the dais are filled with guests from the ruling parties. Undoubtedly, politicians take political mileage from all such festivals and treat them as lullabies for the public to sleep off their woes and even forget that they have a right to good roads, clean drinking water, healthcare, good education and more as citizens of an enlightened democracy.