Between 2020 and 2024.... four years have lapsed ... Of course this is no rocket science !! But why its worth recall what had happened during Statehood Day that year ?

What happened during the Statehood Day in 2020? Today is 2024 .... Between 2020 and 2024.... four years have lapsed ... Of course this is no rocket science !! But why its worth recall what had happened that year ?

Ghosts of Covid .... and yet a path breaking moment : 2020 

The 58th Statehood Day of Nagaland was celebrated on December 01, 2020 at Raj Bhavan Kohima. 

"Rich tributes were paid to the Founding Fathers of Nagaland – the leaders of the Naga Peoples’ Convention and all those martyrs who sacrificed their life for securing the honourable future for the Naga people and created Nagaland as the 16th State of the Union of India. 

A memorial to commemorate the contributions of the Founding Fathers and the Martyrs was inaugurated in the Lawns of Dr.Imkongliba Ao Hall, Raj Bhavan with unveiling a magnificent bust of Dr.Imkongliba Ao, the President, Naga Peoples’ Convention who was martyred soon," ran  a press release from Raj Bhawan, Kohima.  

There are a few more things we can talk about. Some of you feel the hick-up anda few would raise eyebrows. 

Around the same time (that is 2020), veteran S C Jamir, former Chief Minister and who also served as Governor in Goa, Maharashtra, Odisha and Gujarat, directed his tirade against "some people who were nowhere to be seen" during formative years in the 1960s were now 

... "unrealistically muddying the fountainhead". 

 

Governor R N Ravi, who in his Statehood Day message, said "Nagaland state is an abiding testimony to the triumph of the politics of peace over the politics of bloodshed. I

It is a proud saga of the indomitable Naga spirit which rejected the politics of gun and gun powder in favour of politics of democracy and dialogue". 

There were other statements and they too are worth referring t0 -- whether one agrees or disagrees is indeed immaterial. 

Muivah in younger days

The influential Naga Students Federation (NSF) had flayed the then Governor. 

It said: "Though there is no denying the fact that the creation of Nagaland did reap in monetary dividends for a section of the Naga people besides other tangible and intangible perks, it had only resulted in a more fractious Naga society and Governor's claim that it has been the best thing to happen to the Naga people only reveals his shallow understanding of the Naga history....".

The students' body also spoke about "....the narrow walls within which he (Ravi) has been trying to solve the vexed Indo Naga political issue".

 

Indeed, the NSCN (IM) has been also critical of the Naga People's Convention - a body of prominent Naga leaders which inked the first statehood agreement in 1960. 

The pact had finally heralded the formation of the 16th state of Indian Union.

In his address, the Governor also pointed out that the Government of India had recognised the "uniqueness of the Nagas" and thus the special constitutional provision Article 371-A was granted. 

Ravi also had maintained that - "History bears testimony to the fact that armed insurgencies have rarely succeeded in achieving their political objectives and have invariably left a trail of blood, betrayal and bitterness".

In his observation without naming any organisation, Ravi made a veiled attack on the ultras said that - "Protracted armed insurgency and endless peace process have taken an unacceptable toll on the people of Nagaland".

Modi Govt later shunted out Ravi 

Notably, the militant group, the NSCN-IM --- which is in parleys with the Government of India since 1997 -- had said : "For the Nagas, the creation of Nagaland state as a result of manipulation and treachery has been recorded as an act of insult to the freedom fighters in particular and to the Naga people in general".

"We never expected such antagonistic statement from a brilliant, intelligent and self respecting interlocutor....", said Naga Hoho slamming Governor Ravi's hard hitting message !!  

Governor Ravi also had lamented that the people of Nagaland have not yet been able to fully enjoy the fruits of statehood due to some people, mostly from outside the State, who in pursuance of a perverse political ideology, are creating roadblocks to enduring peace in the State. 

Now, what do we gain to achieve by referring to what went on four years back? 

Answering this may be a difficult proposition !! 

But what is worth mentioning is that things have come back full circle. The time piece says the hands of the clock are back again where things stood in 2020 ! 

So, a vital counter question --- if time has been wasted; who did benefit ? 

Scholars often say -- What you do when you are trapped in a vicious circle? 

Draw a bigger circle !! 

Every vice falsely resembles some virtue and it always takes the advantage of the resemblance.  

Veteran Jamir and blogger 

ends