Kohima, Jan. 29: Every time a socio-cultural organisation in Nagaland plans an event, on the top of the to-do list is to find a "chief guest" with a big fat purse and the generosity to open it liberally.
Social observers have noticed that Nagaland organisations have been showing a distinct trend of inviting chief guests and coaxing out neat sums of donations for organisational "benefits".
While the "benefits" land in the pockets of few who wield power and influence, the hands that dole out the money are also reportedly fishing out the funds from kitties that are meant for more useful engagements.
According to a survey, Kohima district topped the trend of "inviting chief guests", followed by Phek, Dimapur and Mokokchung, in 2011.
The oft-invited guests are ministers, parliamentary secretaries, commissioners, secretaries and other top officials. One of the most sought-after guests is chief minister Neiphiu Rio, who is known for his generosity and his knack for donating huge sums even to small groups and organisations.
Rio is followed by health and family welfare minister Kuzholuzo Nienu, home minister Imkong L. Imchen, minister for roads and bridges G. Kaito Aye, adviser to Nagaland Music Task Force, MLA Nicky Kire, parliamentary secretary for social welfare Chotisuh Sazo, minister for urban development Shurhozelie Liezietsu and adviser to the department of sericulture, MLA Azheto Zhimomi.
Interestingly, people do not invite Opposition lawmakers, since they do not expect large donations from them.
The exact amount of money spent by the ministers, parliamentary secretaries and MLAs in the ruling Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN) in 2011 was not known, but a Congress MLA disclosed to The Telegraph that he had spent over Rs 50 lakh in donations to organisations where he had been called as the chief guest.
An MLA gets Rs 1 crore as local area development plan in a year, apart from the flagship programmes and schemes from the Centre. There have been allegations that a part of these funds is spent by several MLAs in donations.
A legislator who did not wish to be identified said even the church was making easy bucks by inviting dignitaries to their programmes.
At the centre of the donation controversy is the chief minister who has been extremely generous to his district and his constituency, where he had contributed crores of rupees as chief guest in the past nine years.
He even opens small shops in Kohima and Dimapur as chief guest.
A couple of years back, Rio inaugurated a hair-cutting salon in the heart of Kohima town, which has closed down some time back.
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