Shillong, Sept. 1: Former Chief Election Commissioner J.M. Lyngdoh today blamed Delhi for not showing any interest in opening up the borders of the Northeast with the neighbouring countries for the economic development of the region.

“The Northeast cannot be controlled from Delhi and the best solution will be to open up the borders of the Northeast to Bangladesh, Tibet and other neighbouring countries for the overall progress of the region,” Lyngdoh said at a news conference after inaugurating the Alpha Foundation School for the economically weaker sections of students in Shillong.

The Magsaysay Award winner said the slump in trade and slide in economic activities in the Northeast was because several trade routes were cut off after Partition.

According to Lyngdoh, the “distant” Delhi instead of controlling the Northeast, should explore ways and means to restore the trade routes with the neighbours of the Northeast.

“You cannot control everything from Delhi and pumping funds into the Northeast will not bring any desired result,” Lyngdoh said.

On the education scenario, Lyngdoh said the private sector had made education expensive in India. “As the chairman of the committee to look into the students’ elections, I came to know that the new educational institutions sponsored by the politicians have eroded the values of education,” Lyngdoh said. He also expressed concern on the plight of the less-privileged children in the country who cannot afford education.

According to Lyngdoh, in 10 years even the middle-class families will not be able to send their wards to private schools because of exorbitant fees.

“This is a serious problem and it is inevitable that most of the children will remain uneducated and will be prone to crime even to the extent of joining the militant groups.”

Lyngdoh said the schools that admit children from the poorer section of society can address the problem of high drop-out rate in the Northeast by scheduling the school hours to help the students who want to work.

“In some schools in Calcutta, there are separate timings for students — either in the morning or in the evening — so that their working hours are not disturbed.” Lyngdoh pointed out that the children are very often forced to work as they have to look after their impoverished family.

Poll pill: Lyngdoh today spelt out a two-point mantra to bring about electoral reforms that could change the country “overnight”, report PTI.

Categorical in his advocacy for proportionate representation, Lyngdoh told journalists here that “the system of proportionate representation can eliminate vote bank politics”.

“Proportionate representation of communities and tribes can root out the practice of vote banks, besides enabling each community to have a say in the decision-making process,” Lyngdoh said. “The majority and the minority will have their opinions felt in such a system.”

“If 50 per cent of votes is the criteria to decide the winner in an electoral battle, it would eliminate the appeasement policy in politics.”

According to him, in such a scene no one can bank on bloc votes to win an election for such bloc votes do not account for more than 30 per cent.

These two reforms, he said, could change the country overnight. “Nepal has done it, then why can’t we?” he said.