Guest Column::: Corruption in Nagaland worries Catholic leaders

Rhythmic cheering echoed around the streets of Chechema village as hundreds of Naga people, most of them Christians, began pulling a huge rectangular stone.
Nagas are mostly Christians. The state of Nagaland cradled in the wilds of northeast corner of India is also regarded as one of the ‘most Baptist states’ as over 75 per cent of it is dominated by Baptist Christians.

Yet Nagas have remained traditional to the core cherishing good old traditional values and virtues of onetime animism, -- says Guest columnist Swati Deb

The traditional stone-pulling ceremony performed by the Angami Naga tribal people in Nagaland in northeast India was the highlight of the Dec. 1-10 Hornbill Festival sponsored by the Christian-majority state.The function was graced by state Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, a practicing Christian, and federal Tourism Minister K.J. Alphons, a Catholic projected as the Christian face of the pro-Hindu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Despite Christians forming 90 percent of Nagaland's 2 million people, the BJP gained political prominence and became part of the state government following an election in February, which many say was the result of alarming levels of corruption among the political leadership."Nagas were animists worshipping every bit of nature" before Christianity arrived in 1871, said Father John Kavas of Kohima Diocese as the men in their traditional costumes pulled the stone 3.5 kilometers to Chipobozou village in the northern Angami Hills in Kohima district."Stones were revered and at times pulled from one corner to the other in the spirit of merrymaking, teamwork and a display of valor.

"Nagas change their political affiliation with as much ease and fun as they pull the stone because "they care not much about political parties. Elections are won or lost by candidates," said Kouley Angami of Chechema village.He believes that was the reason why the BJP won 12 of the 20 seats it contested in the 60-seat legislature and became part of the government in the Baptist-majority state.For most of Nagaland's history, the Congress Party dominated. It was once led by the country's first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and is now being led by his great-grandson, Rahul Gandhi. Even Rio, the incumbent chief minister, was formerly a Congress politician.

Rio quit Congress in 2002 and joined the anti-Congress brigade in the state. Just before state elections in February, Rio floated a regional outfit, the Nagaland Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), and formed an alliance with the pro-Hindu BJP.The NDPP, BJP and their allies together won 34 seats, helping them capture power.Angami told ucanews.com that money also played a role in the elections to engineer defections and withdrawals from candidates and lure voters. Politicians also sponsored community events to garner votes, he said.

"In fact, elections in Nagaland are one of the most expensive affairs in northeast India," Angami said. Many in political circles admit the BJP's "resourceful politics" helped to win seats, reducing the effect of the powerful Nagaland Baptist Church Council's appeal for voters to stay away from the BJP.

"Corruption is eating into the inherent virtues of simple Naga people," said Father Kavas, principal of Don Bosco School in Kohima.

The church understands that corruption is a major vice that needs to be addressed in Nagaland, he added."Apparently many Nagas voted for the BJP [because of money]. We are not taking up political matters, but people do raise these questions," the priest said.The Catholic Church in Nagaland has "started educating the people, especially students, about the ills of corruption and how it affects society. In fact, it has already affected them," Father Kavas said.Some Naga people argue that corruption came to their society from urban India. But others among them ask back: Can anyone be made corrupt unless one wants to be?The Naga people wanted to remain independent and outside the Indian federation when the British finalized terms for ending colonial rule in 1947. They rebelled against being part of India, but the Indian army suppressed the protest and in 1963 declared the area an Indian state.But agreements were also signed giving it special autonomy with special constitutional provisions including funds. 

Many Naga people appreciated the funding and chose leaders who were close to the ruling dispensation in New Delhi.Over the last seven decades, most states in the northeast, especially Nagaland, have received billions in funds from the federal government. But very often the money spent has not been accounted for properly because of corruption and infighting between politicians."What is our [Naga] economy? ... Our economy is essentially a salary economy," Chief Minister Rio said.

"It depends on the government for everything, be it salary, be it support for welfare measures and benefits for the poor, so we have become a consumer society. It has reached saturation point."In the run-up to the polls, Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised corruption-free governance and development in Nagaland.

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The promises were dismissed outright by the state unit of Congress president K. Therie. Modi's promises "will not fool the people of Nagaland, for the people have not forgotten the empty promises he has been making since 2014," he said, adding that perhaps the BJP coalition will "loot the state for another five years and leave a legacy of debt."

Will Anandiben make a 'Vajubhai Vala' in Madhya Pradesh?

As the vote count for 230 member Madhya Pradesh assembly- so far - has thrown a mixed picture with Congress leading in 110 falling short of six to touch the magic number and BJP surging ahead with 111- speculation is rife whether Congress party will be again at the receiving end of the 'imperial character' of governance.

The apprehension has started at some quarters as earlier this year in Karnataka state Governor Vajubhai Vala had denied the opportunity to Congress and had invited the BJP to form government headed by BS Yeddyurappa.
The Congress protested across the country calling it 'murder of democracy' and said they had already given letter of support of requisite members of Congress and JD(S) to form the government.
The Congress party had moved the Supreme Court in a high drama litigation and got a favourable verdict from the apex court.

Incidentally, in Madhya Pradesh the custodian of the Constitution - like Mr Vala, the Governor  is also a former Gujarat politician, Anandiben Patel.

Both these leaders Mr Vala and Ms Patel share one common virtue of working under Narendra Modi as Ministers during his stint as Gujarat Chief Minister.

Besides Karnataka in 2017 also, the BJP had 'violated' the the unwritten code in Manipur and Goa and had applied different yardsticks to deny Congress the chance to government formation even as the numbers initially were in favour of the grand old party.

According to political observers, however, the misuse of Governor's office by the Modi government was only a throwback to the good old 'Congress culture' as number of times the provisions of the Article 356 - which give sweeping powers to the Centre vis-a-vis - were misused number of times in 1980s and 1990s.

BJP sources in Delhi did not rule out making last minute effort to form Government in Madhya Pradesh where the mandate was clearly against the saffron party as its tally is likely to fall from 165 (in 2013) to 111 in the new assembly.

According to sources in the Congress and regional outfits like Trinamool Congress, BJP will be doing a "blunder" if they repeat the mistakes of Karnataka or for that matter in Uttarakhand as the Governor's actions in both these states failed the judicial scrutiny.
However, an analyst known for the right wing inclination says in terms of use and abuse of Governor's office, Congress should not apply 'holier than thou' approach as even under Manmohan Singh, the then Governor SC Jamir had dismissed Manohar Parrikar in Goa in 2005.
Incidentally, like Mr Parrikar, the then Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat in 2016 had demanded trial of strength on the floor of the assembly, which was denied by the Modi government.
The refrain from this school of thought is that in a much paradoxical turn of events the Modi government is only following the footsteps of the erstwhile Congress dispensations, when he had promised a different kind of polity in 2014.

Can Sikh corridor build India-Pakistan relations? But PM Modi gave a twist saying Kartarpur should have remained in India

In the modern history of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh emerged largely because of considerations of religion. First, Muslims decided to part ways to form Pakistan by carving out areas where Muslims dominated. However, Islam as a unifying factor was found wanting when East Pakistan ceded and emerged as Bangladesh. 

But, in South Asia, religion has often been a tool and catalyst that influences diplomatic relations between countries. But, yet again, can Sikh corridor build India-Pakistan relations?

Everything that occurs now has some reference to the past, prejudice and politics. Despite having a negative connotation of being the opium of the people, religion has been a diplomatic tool in South Asia since the beginning of political history in the region.

‘Religion’ has apparently again emerged a tool between India and Pakistan – two traditional rivals and of course neighbours. This time Sikhism is apparently helping both the countries to come forward for peaceful talks.

Harsimrat Kaur Badal, a Sikh woman Indian Minister in Narendra Modi cabinet, has rightly described the ‘Kartarpur Corridor’ between India and Pakistan as a ‘corridor of peace’. But can it deliver?

Hinduism and Islam continue to play vital roles in guiding the emotions of the masses and the policies of the governments of India and Pakistan, now nuclear-wielding archrivals. Their arms race and political chest thumping continue to create tension and remain a major reason for the abysmal poverty of millions of their people.

Religion again, this time Sikhism, gained prominence in relations between India and Pakistan when the countries agreed to build a visa-free corridor for Sikhs from India to visit their pilgrim center in Pakistan.

On Nov. 28, Pakistan's iconic cricketer-turned-politician and prime minister, Imran Khan, laid the foundation stone for a four-kilometer corridor connecting Indian Sikhs with their holy place Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Pakistan's Kartarpur village, where Sikhism's founder Guru Nanak died in 1539.

The corridor connects Kartarpur with Dera Baba Nanak, a Sikh holy city in India's Gurdaspur district, helping Sikhs travel between these holy places without restrictions. Indian Federal Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, who attended the Kartarpur function, brought a handful of clay from the place where Guru Nanak spent the latter years of his life.  Religious sentiments apart, a bigger question remains: Will this help peace between India and Pakistan?

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his pro-Hindu party Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are viewed warily in Pakistan because of their hard-line Hindu nationalist position. It is generally believed that Pakistan's military was not keen on previous efforts by civilian leaders like Nawaz Sharif to improve ties with India.

However, at the Kartarpur function, Pakistan premier Khan sought to claim that even the army is on the same page as him regarding friendly ties with India. But that claim is easier to say than to prove. There is much skepticism in India too. In 1999, the then BJP prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee travelled to Lahore in Pakistan by bus to try to achieve greater peace, but Pakistan's army staged the Kargil conflict when over 1,000 soldiers from the two countries died. That actually revived the rivalry more strongly.

Indian and Pakistan hardly ever grant visas to each other's citizens easily.

Lately of course, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given altogether new twist to the Kartarpur debate. On two occasions, he has suggested the famous Gurudwara in effect should belong to India. Firstly, he compared Kartarpur initiatives from both sides as downfall of Berlin Wall.

But on December 4, addressing an election rally, he said Kartarpur – where the founder of Sikhism Guru Nanak Devji breathed his last in 1539 – could have remained (should have remained ??) in India; but is in Pakistan today because of the Congress party's “lack of vision”.

These statements would not go down well with Pakistanis - especially those who are in hurry to claim that Kartarpur Corridor is a 'googly' by Imran Khan that 'trapped' India !

BJP sources in Delhi say India does not yet see the Kartarpur Corridor development as a "diplomatic turnaround episode" in India-Pakistan relations. They want Pakistan to stop supporting terrorists who act against India.

The BJP's line on Kartarpur is clear. "This is a sociopolitical and religious issue. We do not see it as any diplomatic breakthrough," a BJP leader said. "By deputing Sikh ministers for the ceremony, the government of India has kept it informal and religious, and thus Islamabad's efforts to steal any diplomatic limelight have been exposed."

For its part, Islamabad has consistently denied housing terrorists. But India insists the insurgency in Muslim-dominated Kashmir has support from Pakistan. India, under the present dispensation, wants Pakistan to stop supporting terrorists before any peace talks can start.  

India wants Pakistan to address its ‘international obligation’ to act against terror elements allegedly getting ‘local support’ in Pakistan. For its part, Islamabad is generally in denial mood about existence of terror elements in Pakistan – but it has not able to convince the international community about the same.

Since 1947, when India and Pakistan were born out of British India, Kashmir has been contentious. Pakistan claimed it because of its Muslim population, but its then Hindu king joined the Indian union. The countries have had three wars over Kashmir and now administer parts of it. Insurgents want to free the region from India to join Pakistan or make it a free Islamic state.

Khan's government wants to revive peace talks with India on its own terms on the vexed Kashmir issue. At Kartarpur Khan said Kashmir was the only issue between India and Pakistan. "The human race has reached the moon. Tell me what is the issue that human beings cannot solve. Can't India and Pakistan resolve one issue [Kashmir]?" Khan asked.

This predictably left the Indian side anguished and the Ministry of External Affairs in Delhi wasted no time in calling Khan's statement "unwarranted."

"It is deeply regrettable that the prime minister of Pakistan chose to politicize the pious occasion meant to realise the long-pending demand of the Sikh community to develop a Kartarpur corridor by making unwarranted reference to Jammu and Kashmir, which is an integral and inalienable part of India," ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said in reply to a question.

India's charge that Pakistan supports terrorism in India should not be seen as the BJP's pro-Hindu hyperbole. In fact, that has been the diplomatic stand for decades irrespective of governments and India has produced documented evidence to prove its version.

For example, Amarinder Singh, the Congress chief minister of Sikh-majority Punjab state and a former Indian army official, declined Pakistan's invitation to attend the Kartarpur function citing terrorism as a reason. "I will not go there for their ground-breaking ceremony unless Pakistan ends violence against India," he said.

The proof of the pudding is in the eating. In terms of India-Pakistan ties, a lot depends on the delivery level. Khan may be Pakistan's PM but the diplomatic engine room regarding India is in the hands of army generals.

In fact, India too has a hangover from domestic politics. It believes no Pakistani general should be considered a moderate. To cap it all, on June 3, 2015, Raheel Sharif, the former Pakistan army chief, said: "Kashmir is an unfinished agenda of partition. Kashmir and Pakistan are inseparable."

For Indian PM Modi, the going has become tough in view of general elections next year. He needs to take a tough stance against Pakistan. Perceived bravado against Pakistan has helped Modi in the past to garner Hindu nationalist votes.

And that is because religious sentiments remain politically important in this part of the world.

ends