JAEY GEOFFERY

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Governance (L/D)?

“It is the spirit and not the form of law that
Keeps justice alive”
‘Earl Warren’

Governance is noun of the word ‘Govern’
that means to rule with authority. Any duly elected member of legislature or parliament or a person assuming an office as his profession or job by virtue of some ruling or order can govern. Whether it is good governance or not is left to perception of the governed. Good Governance is the rule where legislative, executive and judicial functions of the authority are discharged in a fair and just manner to meet the progressive needs of the society. Here; everyone has Food, Shelter and Clothing (Roti, Kapda and Makaan), even if one does not have, one hopes to get it positively. Our elected leaders are meant to govern; good or bad is for the people to decide.

We are all aware of the infamous MP, Katara, who was trying to export a Benami family (a lady and a boy) by virtue of his position, assuming that he will get away. Bad Luck, Sir! To our astonishment he was getting a fat commission for such human trafficking. This is one case that has come to light, may be many more are under the lid. Similarly we have Benami traders in Mokokchung which is against the law of land. Here property is in the name of a local Naga, business is owned by non Naga from outside and business permit is in the name of a local conforming to the existing rules. Probably this too has some one’s patronage.

This region of our country is gripped with the problem of checking fake currency pumped by ISI meant to cripple the economy of the region. Chief Minister of Arunanchal Pradesh has openly accepted involvement of certain local leaders in this racket. To quote Mr Dorjee Khandu “we have definite information that some local leaders are also involved and we have identified them. We are looking for some tell tale evidence to catch them red handed”. He further said that ISI is sending the currency through Bangladesh, Meghalaya and Assam.

Mr Neiba Ndang a former congress leader of Nagaland has said that central funds are being converted into political money by the ruling leaders. Mr Prakash Singh who was DGP, Assam and a governor of one of the North Eastern States had confessed in a programme “Big Fight” telecast on Star TV that approx Rs/-100 crores meant for development were siphoned out for vested interests.

Killing of Purnendu Lungthasa, Chief Executive Member of the North Cachar(NC) Hills Autonomous District Council and his colleague by Black Widow group DHD (J) is another revelation. As the talks go it was money that was beginning to shape the talks between congress and DHD (J). The militant group had reportedly demanded Rs/-2.8 crores from the ruling congress after being betrayed in its earlier demand for reservation of three of five newly created constituencies in the NC Hills exclusively for Dimasa tribe.

GoI has launched a subsidy based credit linkage scheme for establishment of Agriclinics and Agribusiness centres. As per scheme a trained graduate can apply for a loan up to Rs/- 50 Lakhs based on the project report. But no bank is giving loan despite having graduates trained by Institute of Cooperation Management Imphal. Therefore Manipur is losing the benefit of agriculture subsidy.

These are some of the recent examples that are fresh in our memories. From the foregoing readers are free to think and decide for themselves; whether we have Leaders or Dealers, the difference being in position of letters L and D; can we hope for governance (not good governance) from the leaders who only make deals? Every one is aware of the deals that are struck before during and after any elections, small or big.
Good Governance calls for Honesty, Virtue & Conscientiousness and in the matters of conscience, majority has no place. It also needs the power of trinity i.e. Mutual trust, Faith and Confidence between the Leader and the Led. Can we have this and no deals please?
Politics isn’t about big money on power games; it’s about improvement of people’s lives “Paul Wall Stone”

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