Nirendra Dev
NEW DELHI, DECEMBER 4: Nagaland has remained unexplored of its true potential for years. What talented and hardworking people had in them and what Mother Nature bequeathed ~ all of it were denied by circumstances and violence of mankind. But does everyone want peace and solution?
There is already a bluff industry working. Suddenly intellectuals have discovered something called the Cabinet Sub Committee. Like Himanta had/has a magic wand, now will this panel emerge as a new ‘saviour’ to delay gamers?
The ENPO issue also comes in handy. But leaders from the allegedly neglected region comprising six districts are in the capital.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah is likely to meet them. Gandhinagar ~ where from Shah was elected as MP ~ goes to polls on Monday hence he is expected at Delhi only after voting. There was an email invitation from HMO.
The truth of the matter is the Modi Government is more than serious to resolve the Naga issue and also help the people of Eastern Nagaland.
However, perhaps by now it also realises the intent and influence of saboteurs and the ‘delay solution lobby’.
Nevertheless, given the distrust and various complexities that exist at different levels, the Centre is already doing a lot of tightrope walking and applying restraints while carrying forward the negotiations with NNPG and also NSCN-IM.
Politics is an art of the possible. But sheer bluff is neither politics nor an art of negotiations. The important issue in Delhi these days is why should Narendra Modi deliver solution to Naga peace talks.
The firm response to these queries is only a Prime Minister such as Modi can deliver ~ and something what perhaps a man like Chandrashekhar could do.
In 1990-91, Assam was passing through a bad phase. And it was then the Chandrashekhar Government had struck and the Prafulla Mahanta Government was dismissed. The Centre also had banned ULFA and the subsequent Operation Rhino later helped to cripple the ULFA and its crucial support base in Bangladesh. The Congress always believed in appeasement politics and in deal making.
Over the years, the negotiations and the Naga issue as such have turned further complex. SS Khaplang was expelled from his own faction NSCN (K). Formal talks started in 1997 with NSCN-IM and even the Framework Agreement was inked in August 2015.
But the 2017 development was huge as 7 militant groups came under the banner called NNPG and at a later stage the Agreed Position was worked out in detail.
One also needs to talk about restoring the confidence of the people in the Government apparatus vis-Ã -vis development and also on the use of forces in relation to the Distubed Area Act.
There can be no denying that vested interests ~ officials, politicians, NGOs, businessmen and local collaborators ~ have been making optimum use of insurgency as well as the ceasefire to fill in their pockets. The chain needs to be broken because the status quo has been used as a springboard to boost political ambitions.
New peace emissary AK Mishra should appreciate all these by now.
Worse, political ambitions also meant non-performance and not delivering development. BJP’s credibility is also at stake. Otherwise it may be prudent to dissolve the Nagaland unit of the Lotus party.
Precisely here comes the role of a ‘decisive’ Prime Minister and Modi will have to deliver.
