Sumi Kiphimi Kuqhakulu (SKK) organized “Lotsumi Kukuputsa (intellectuals’ meet) at town hall, Dimapur under the theme, “doing right” on Saturday, wherein resource persons spoke on four agendas.
The four agendas included clean election in all Sumi inhabited areas, ban on proxy teachers in all Sumi inhabited areas, clean and sincere execution of public offices/institutions in Sumi inhabited areas and right implementation and execution of all contract works under right specifications in all Sumi inhabited areas.
Resource person, former judge, Supreme Court of India, justice H. K. Sema, said the election system in the state was a “mockery of democratic process” which would continue to be the same unless people changed their mindset. He said every educated person was capable of doing right if he so desires and urged upon educated youngsters to correct the society of wrongdoings, in their own capacity.
Stating that value based education was a product of good teaching, he wondered how value based education could be brought about while the teachers still practise proxy system. Justice H. K. Sema spoke about the urgent need to have Nagaland State Human Rights Commission, Law Commission and Lokayukta. He said that the need for human rights commission was needed more in Nagaland which has frequent cases of police/army atrocities and other anti-social elements.
He also reminded about the recent notification of Nagaland Government which stated that a person can be appointed a GB only after he/she attains the age of 40. The retired judge said this particular notification was contravening Article 371 (A) and contradicting the customary practices of the Sumi community who appoints a GB on hereditary basis.
Commissioner & secretary, Works & Housing, Himato Zhimo IFS said that for a student to do right, the number one priority was to study right. However, he encouraged the students to take up vocational courses side by side, as skill development was important when it came to employability. He also discouraged seeking backdoor appointment.
Vigilance commissioner, K.T. Sukhalu IAS said that the mission of SKK was a “herculean task” but added that it was not impossible if all stakeholders were desirous of positive change and extended their cooperation and support. On education, he said the government was providing funds but the failure lay in the implementation. He said the Village Education Committee (VEC) was set up with good intention but that many VECs were not functioning as expected.
Former additional chief secretary (retd), H.K. Khulu IAS said “to do right, one has to introspect what went wrong earlier and then carry forward the objective with strong resolve and sincerity”. He told the students not to be discouraged even if their mission could not be fully achieved during the current tenure since it was a mammoth task.
On proxy system, he said that the students and quality education becomes the casualty when proxy teachers were set in place. He also spoke about landowner problem, multiple and unauthorized taxation as a hindrance to development. Khulu asked the students to “be modern, scientific and open minded and cut the negativity.”
During the programme, Western Sumi Hoho, President, Hokiye Yeptho also exhorted the gathering. In his address, SKK President, Ninoto Awomi appealed the people to extend their cooperation towards the mission of “doing right.”