SHILLONG, FEB 15: Twenty- six year old law student Sajeki Passah is as disillusioned as other youths with politicians and political system. Youths who agonized over the failure of political system and the politicians either joins an ngo to give vent to their frustration or suffers in silent complaining about the lack of development and governance every day.
However, Sajeki disillusioned as he is with the government and politicians’ failure to bring about the development of Jaintia hills, of which he is the resident, and the state as a whole has instead chosen unique a way to vent his anger and disappointment.
Sajeki surrendered his EPIC card to the Meghalaya Chief Electoral Officer P Naik pledging that he will not vote in the upcoming assembly elections in February 23 and all subsequent elections until he sees development in Jaintia hills and other parts of the state.
While surrendering his EPIC bearing No. BKX0651000, Passah’s expressed his anguish over the state of affairs in the government and the state that has hampered development.
Naik confirmed having received the strange letter informing him of Passah decision to surrender the EPIC card and told this website, “We encourage youths to vote, however it is completely voluntary whether they want to cast their vote or not.”
Passah is perhaps the first voter in the state to surrender his EPIC to protest against the government failure to bring about development in the state. Naik also sort of confirmed saying, “ I have not come across anybody who have surrender his EPIC to protest.”
Passah who has voted twice in the 2008 assembly election and the Lok Sabha polls that followed has a long list of grievances against the government and politicians. He calls the Indian democracy a ‘failed-democracy’ as he feels it is the root-cause for backwardness, rampant corruption and under-development prevailing in Meghalaya and Jaintia hills region.
In the letter to Naik, Passah says, “The democratic set up in the state has failed miserably as it favours ‘THE HAVES’ (who reap the benefits from the prevailing system of governance) whereas scores of ‘HAVE NOTS’ are left with hopelessness and unfulfilled dreams.”
Passah further says that the members of the Assembly, irrespective to what party they belong, are either tight-lip about the agonies and cries of the people for development or simply turns a deaf ear to the people whom they represent.
According to Passah because of a failed democracy Meghalaya is suffering from lack of infrastructures, good road connectivity, poor health scenario, increase unemployment, corruptions, and law and order problem and degrading environment beside others.
Elaborating further Passah says most villages are yet to be connected with good roads, those that are there are left unrepaired despite fund being sanctioned and work orders and deadlines being issued’
Speaking about unemployment, Passah said it is the survival of the luckiest and not the fittest as nepotism prevails and the qualified unemployed are overlooked.
Passah also said that ministers and bureaucrats do not want introduction of any bills in the assembly that seek to
curb their liberty and also subject them to any type of probes into any of their alleged deeds (misdeeds). He says, “The democracy that speaks of ending corruption and malpractices by only instituting malleable committees and commissions to enquire into matters concludes with none being held liable.” – By Our Reporter
Great JOB bro……….. hope others too will feel the same.