Editor,
The involvement of money during elections, especially in the assembly and the parliamentary elections in Arunachal Pradesh and India has also destroyed the present and future development of the state and the nation.
It is clear that money culture is celebrated as a festival of income, or investment during elections by individual voters and candidates in our state. Voters are always eager to get money, jobs and expensive items in exchange for their votes. Political leaders and potential candidates from various parties also start seeking financial assistance from their respective party chiefs and allies. In this way the flow of money culture continues. This phenomenon will go far and no one will abstain because everyone is concerned with money.
We believe that money is the ultimate source of living. Money attracts everything we want in life. However, political leaders and candidates strongly advise us against the danger of money culture and vote selling in elections. If immediate steps are not taken, money culture will definitely pose a serious threat to politics and the development of the state and the nation. If any party leaders and aspiring candidates do not offer money and material gains to their voters during their election campaigns, then we will wisely cast our valuable votes in favour of the right candidate whose ideology, vision and manifesto are in line with the progress of the society.
We could have seen the dawn of progress and development if our leaders were committed to eliminate money culture from the society, which starts from them and their party.
According to estimates by many experts, the expenditure becomes very high during elections in Arunachal. If that amount is utilised, our state can become fully developed and beautiful.
Programmes for the state’s development should be run with accountability, like the Modi government is doing in Arunachal. Sadly, Arunachal has a long way to go in terms of development. Due to money culture in elections and corruption in every sector of the society, the development scenario in our state is less, compared to other states of the country. Therefore, we have to collectively resolve to get rid of the money culture, which should start with you and me.
Let us conduct fair and free elections for the betterment of our next generation. Let us test or study the quality of those political leaders who have foresight, humility, honesty, sense of ideology and friendly image towards the poor and the needy. Let us elect leaders who avoid offers of money, material gains and jobs during election campaigns. Is there any such ambitious candidate or leader available? I wish there was someone.
Majum Ekke