** CM Rio may have to repay his debt to his former teacher Mrs Sano Vamuzo.
Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio - now set to be new president of NPF - had earlier this year said his Govt would consider naming certain social welfare policies after former Chief Minister and regionalist-doyen Vamuzo.
The assurance came in March 2025 after a demand was made that the Local Area Development programme should be named after the former chief minister.
The occasion too was solemn. The 25th death anniversary of Vamuzo in Phek town.
The need to name Local Area Development Programme (LADP) for each MLAs vis-a-vis all 60 assembly constituencies as the 'Vamuzo LADP' has been mooted by NPF legislator Achumbemo Kikon and endorsed by the Chakhesang Public Organization (CPO) at the 25th Death Anniversary of former chief minister of Nagaland on March 22nd.
I have argued earlier that this is a 'good move' but perhaps also a belated one to an extent.
But the LADP in Nagaland has a story of its own. It was originally named the Compact Area Development Scheme (CADS) by the Vamuzo government and interestingly it was opposed by the Congress party then.
Vamuzo had lost the 1989 assembly elections to veteran M Vero from Chazouba.
Even his immediate junior in the party Shurhozelie had lost Northern Angami I. K L Chishi had become Leader of the Opposition and in that position, the MLA from Atoizu gave a stellar performance leaving the then S C Jamir government grievously hurt on multiple issues.
Chishi once famously said - "Even heaven agrees there is corruption in Nagaland".
The dialogue delivery - as Bollywood media would have said - coincided with thunder burst and the old Assembly Hall's tin roof nearly cracked.
After the V P Singh government came to power in Delhi ousting the then Rajiv Gandhi-led Congress, as usual (in that era) defection of 12 legislators took place. Even as 10 MLAs were disqualified; the Governor M M Thomas dismissed Jamir and invited Chishi to form the new government.
However, the likes of S C Jamir and I K Sema and of course Jamir decided not to allow the Chishi ministry to survive for long. Jamir later said - "We went like a hunting bird and found Vamuzo who could break his own party to become Chief Minister".
Regionalist doyen and 'admirer' Dev
The Congress leaders perhaps underestimated Vamuzo's political acumen.
Once in power, Vamuzo manipulated things to strengthen the NPC (previous version of NPF). Chubatemjen Ao, who was Chishi's Finance Minister, used to joke: "Our Chief Minister's policy is simple, divide Congress and rule".
By then Chubatemjen had become a diehard -regionalist and is still one.
However, regionalist Chalie Kevichusa lost trust in the triumvir of Vizol-Vamuzo-Shurhozelie and quit NPC for life and had floated Democratic Labour Party (DLP) in 1992.
Vamuzo announced launching of the scheme CADS initially with Rs 75 lakh for each 60 constituencies. The Congress legislative wing led by Jamir and others opposed it saying normal wisdom about governance and development is that the fund allocation should be need-based.
Chishi, who became unattached MLA, and was then back siding with the Congress -- once told the Assembly:
"I am opposing this Compact Area Development Scheme because it defeats the purpose of governance and development based on needs.
Respected Shri Jamir, please bear with me; Mokokchung (then a developed district HQ) should not get the same amount and attention as compared to my area Atoizu".
Actually there was some confusion about the CADS in Congress circles. The then pradesh Congress president and Lok Sabha MP, Shikiho Sema once called me to his Daklane House and said
- "Sometimes, we Congress people do not read our own election manifesto".
A candid observer that he was -- Shikiho also told me --- "You media people are also intellectuals but lazy". He meant we also did not bother to refer to the Congress manifesto about the CADS.
However, Late Shikiho said -- "Our concept of CADS would have been different and better". Answering questions, Shikiho also claimed -- "Vamuzo is a smart politician....the CADS was suggested to him by his friend A M Gokhale (IAS officer - who later also became Chief Secretary)."
After a few days I asked Vamuzo, "Was the project suggested to you by Mr Gokhale".
Vamuzo replied in negative.
Actually there is another anecdote - worth sharing. The Vamuzo-Gokhale team had earlier worked quite effectively with the Village Development Board (VDB) scheme. The project made news even at the national level.
Former IAS officer Khekiye K Sema (now a strong proponent of an early Solution) had penned about the VDB project he worked on in rural areas in his book --'Encountering Life – Antics of a Government Servant'.
Once I asked Gokhale on why people in Nagaland generally spoke about Vamuzo-A M Gokhale friendship. "Basically I am a civil servant and Mr Vamuzo is a political boss ... My father was a socialist and they both (Vamuzo and his dad) knew each other".
Gokhale on one occasion had famously said -- "New Delhi still behaves like Aurangzeb's Delhi" -- implication was that the ivory tower experts and Neta-Babu combo in the national capital hardly appreciated the hard works put on by various states and departments in far-flung areas.
Tail piece:
Neiphiu Rio would be also 'advised' perhaps that he should repay his debt to his former teacher Mrs Sano Vamuzo.
In 2024 - I met former chief minister's wife at their private house. She - a smart political person - defended her former student.
"Nobody can become a Chief Minister just because someone wants to," Mrs Vamuzo, wife of former CM Late Vamuzo Phesao, told this journalist at her Kohima residence (Oct 26/27 - 2024)
"I am a follower of Biblical values...there is a God's plan to make Neiphiu Rio the Chief Minister and also keep him in office for so long. I cannot become the Chief Minister just because I want to," she said adding,
"Neiphiu was my student years back... we knew his family. His father was a sincere gentleman and his mother was God fearing".
Answering a question, she said - "I know him as my former student. He does have fear of God.... People have high expectations. Some time people want miracles....But there is God's hand behind everything. Maybe as a man he can't do better".
Mrs Vamuzo, said - "Many things are uncertain in our state...forget peace in political sense. There is no peace of mind. As an individual no one can be perfect".
To another question, she said - "Nagaland situation is very challenging. Nagas are also suffering because of greed.
Here I will quote Mahatma Gandhi - he had said Man can have according for his needs; but he cannot have as per one's greed. This greed is very bad".
ends
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| Mrs Sano Vamuzo |
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