Meghalaya statehood Day: Are we drifting in “Winds of Uncertainty”?
By Ibankyntiew Mawrie | Shillong, Jan 21:
Meghalaya – the "abode of clouds" has come a long way since 1972; much have been achieved, many milestones crossed, many contributions and successes acknowledged and celebrated. But amidst all the achievements and pride, one cannot overlook the fact that this northeastern state is still grappling with common problems like unemployment, political instability, corruption, rising crime, influx and the likes.
A bitter reality! Over the years,Meghalaya has witnessed an unending saga of tension and turmoil over severalissues like coal mining, border dispute, power tussle and the most talked abouttopic: Politics.
As Meghalaya celebrates its 48th Statehood Day today, let us take a look at what the citizens of the state have to say on the long journey undertaken since 1972 till date. Was it a glorious or a bumpy ride? Was it productive and constructive or have we lost our vision along the way?
Here is what they have to say:
Rudi Warjri (Former Diplomat): Among the visible positives is the size and number of young people who are educated and smarter and can be on a par with youths anywhere in India and the world. The problem is the opportunities and future for them in Meghalaya and this is because of lack of economic investment and job creation, hindered by among several things like lack of clarity in governance. That leads to paucity in financial resources and an infinite dependence on the central government of India.
Kitboklang Nongphlang (NGO leader): The vision of our great leaders seems to have been lost in the clouds; Meghalaya turned 48 today yet decade-old problems are yet to be resolved. What have we been doing all this time? The interstate boundary dispute, unabated influx, lack of proper mechanisms to protect the indigenous community like ILP, inclusion of the Khasi language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution are just a few of the issues in the forefront which are yet to be addressed. We have given up on expectations because they don't quite turn out the way we expect them to rather they are like nightmares haunting the tribals of the state over the years.
Dr Moushumi Dey (Administrator Women's College Higher Secondary): It is indeed a day to celebrate and rejoice but at the same time to also reflect and draw the road map for the future of the state. Meghalaya has indeed come a long way in every sense of the term be it progress or prosperity and while I am happy at these milestones but at the same time I would also like to mention the congestion in Shillong City which is so very visible every single day. While progress is perhaps witnessed in the city, this development, however, has been lop-sided as the rural areas present quite a different picture mainly because of lack of more amenities in terms of good roads, jobs, education, health care, electricity, accessibility to markets etc. Thus these issues need to be addressed so that the large scale migration from rural to urban largely because of lack of better economic opportunities can be contained for the total development of the state instead of a patchy one. Hoping in the coming years more jobs, skills based education / opportunities can be created for the youth. Instead of creating barriers, hope there will be a more progressive mindset towards taking the state to newer heights in the years ahead.
Bachu Marak (National People Youth Front (NPYF) General Secretary, North Garo Hills): Yes Meghalaya has come a long way. We have achieved a great deal of progress in these last few years and there is still more left to be done to push the state to new heights, making a name and carving a niche for itself not only in the national but global map. Aside from the achievements, I think we still need to focus on infrastructural development at the grassroot level, connectivity and bringing the administration closer to the common people.
Agnes Kharshiing (Social activist): 1972 was the year Meghalaya was born but it is sad to say that the state has lost the original Gazette of the year it attained statehood and even more disappointing because till date no official has filed an FIR in this regard. Over the years, instead of grooming young minds, we have been grooming goons and criminals; the trend of people in power looting the State under public eyes is ongoing. Truth be told, Meghalaya has lost its charm and this is all because of Greed, but there is a Hope. I expect honesty, transparency, and accountability.
Aristotle C Rymbai (MSSASA president): Over the years, we have seen that the respective governments have failed to take care of the teaching community despite its talk about "quality education". We had high hopes from the NPP led MDA government but to our utter disappointment, it functions just like the previous governments. From an SSA teacher's point of view, I would like to highlight that since the time the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan scheme was implemented in the state, the teachers have been suffering because we were not treated equally. This scheme was implemented wrongly in the state and over the years, no government has been able to rectify that mistake. The MDA government talks about "quality education" but fails to acknowledge the role of the teachers as the driving force. If you can't take care of the teachers, how do you expect to achieve your goals? If this lackadaisical attitude of the government continues, I feel that even in 10 years, we will not be able to achieve quality education.
Mayborn Lyngdoh R (Teacher/Columnist): Meghalaya is now showing signs of a tired-deluded Middle-aged man who has lost all youthful vigour and strength but would still like to be called "Young". It's Government is like a sick patient in agony, while her pressure groups are self-interested. Education policies are getting worse with a sea of qualified unemployed youths left to be handed a bowl. It is a State where foreign festivals are funded handsomely while it's teachers are starved shamelessly. I tell you, Corruption is so greatly worshipped that even the dams' are ashamed of their waters.
Gary Marbaniang (Columnist): Meghalaya has still a long way to go. We are at the bottom when it comes to important indicators like per capita income, human development index, infrastructure, land holdings etc. Agriculture's contribution to the GDP is very insignificant; more than 70 to 80 percent of our population is still dependent on agriculture but the average farmer's land holding is very small; lack of technical knowhow is also another major hindrance; these are significant signs that our economy is not developed. We don't have a strong industrial base and by strong industrial base I mean Industries that create jobs for the local population because as we know it — a strong manufacturing sector is the backbone of any economy. My expectations for the next few years are that we improve on these indicators and then we can say that Meghalaya is on the right track and it is going somewhere. When it comes to hindrances, I must say that corruption, faulty education system and lack of qualified dedicated leaders over the years have prevented Meghalaya from progressing further.
Bibhusahu Dutta (social worker): Giving credit where is due, the infrastructure, roads, humility and beauty of the landscape will remain etched in my mind. The spirit of hope and healing is second to none, especially for people ailing from terminal illnesses. But much has to be done to restore the pride in being a statizen of Meghalaya and preservation of the land and its biodiversity. We need to be wary of following westernization blindly while holding on to our cultural values. Meghalaya must be careful to not be drawn into individualism at the cost of the collective cultural values of being indigenous.
Gaurav Lama (resident of Shillong): I feel that – of course Meghalaya has come a long way since 1972. From the small huts to massive complexes, from small time traders and agriculturists to big fish businessmen, from a bunch of educated families to being one of the most literate states in India, Meghalaya has come a long way. Education, jobs, and infrastructure have grown leaps and bounds especially in the last decade. It is the unofficial education hub of the entire north east. Meghalaya has seen its share of political absurdities of going under president's rule in 2009 to having 4 chief ministers simultaneously in 2010. What the state lacks are educated voters and pro-active positive influencers and my expectations are that the general populace (even the city dwellers) learn how to see through these political games and understand how certain leaders use ethos and logos to influence naive, gullible crowds for their own selfish benefits.
Daniel Stone Lyngdoh (Advocate): 48 years is almost a life time of a person and it's still not very long. My expectation is that the state should further aim for betterment and progress in comparison to other neighbouring states that got their statehood around the same time or two- three years later in terms of development, Peace and security. I have observed that along the way Meghalaya had lost territorial settlement with neighbouring Assam, issues yet to be resolved like the demand for Inner Line Permit and multi purpose policies which are still pending.
Even though Meghalaya has undergone a long journey since it attained statehood in 1972, many citizens are of the view that the state hasn't developed much in the way it was expected to. Amidst possibilities, many developments came about and many are yet to take off. With only two more years left for Meghalaya to celebrate its Golden Jubilee, citizens expect that by the time the state turns 50, we will have so much to look back and be proud of.
