It is no body’s case that resolving Naga problem will be an easy task. Nor can anyone say, any peace accord would not herald some adverse reactions. The government of India cannot treat Nagas with kid-gloves after fighting for about 50-60 years and vice versa; nor can ask the Meitei Manipuris or the Assamese to give a pound of their flesh to keep burning Naga hills under control.
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| Blogger with security forces in Northeast |
Therefore, my impatient plea is it is high time to show sagacity. It is
time to tell north east and the Nagas that New Delhi and the 'mainstream' India
means business.
However, the Congress
president Sonia Gandhi's outbursts that Prime Minister Narendra Modi only
showed 'arrogance' by not consulting Sonia's handpicked three Chief Ministers -
Tarun Gogoi (Assam), Ibobi Singh (Manipur) and Nabam Tuki (Arunachal Pradesh)
has led the cat among the pigeons.
The BJP as expected
joined issue with her and union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wondered, how the
Congress chief is questioning the accord after three days when the party
leaders including Ninong Ering and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had
welcomed it soon after the announcement.
"Whose interest is
the Congress serving?', asked Sitharaman adding,
"We probably
never saw an Opposition speaking against the interests of the country".
BJP believes a kind of
panicky has already caught up in Congress camp. It is this nervousness that has
made Sonia take the risk of taking an unwise stand vis-à-vis Naga peace talks.
Only the other day, BJP Parliamentary Party passed a resolution stating, "The growing
popularity of the NDA government and success of several initiatives has come to
be an eye sore for the Congress". Sonia's ill-advised outbursts seem to endorse that.
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| Misguided outbursts |
Sonia’s attack that
Congress Chief Ministers were not consulted, I agree, is on expected line but uncalled
for. Had she not taken a big political risk as the Congress
could be now seen as opposing the hard earned peace process itself ?
At one go, Sonia has conveniently forgotten that immediately after the signing ceremony, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi had spoken to a galaxy of leaders including Sonia and former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh among others. So, is it not burning the bridge? How would she react when Prime Minister Narendra Modi would not talk to anyone next time on issues of such importance?
Worse, such grand standing by a major political force in the northeast could only spark off some adverse reactions. On the other hand, we need to examine, whether the signing ceremony came in 'hurry' only to help Modi make a fiery speech from the ramparts of Red Fort on the
Independence Day.
There a version on why the
signing process was actually expedited. The illness of aging Isak Chishi Swu, 85-plus was seen as a
catalyst to sign the preliminary accord at the earliest. NSCN
(I-M) chairman Swu, who formed NSCN after causing a split in NNC, had reportedly wanted an agreement signed between the two entities in his
lifetime. His only condition was both sides should agreed upon “major issues”.
It is
ironical but true that Modi has got this destiny-sent opportunity to lap up.
While the pressure on him and his ‘personal
ambition’ has been always to “deliver”, the real compulsion to see a peace
accord fructify at the earliest was perhaps on the collective leadership of NSCN(IM).
The general fear is, any agreement without endorsement of Isak Chishi Swu
would be simply unacceptable to a large section of Swu followers and also among the
Naga civil society.
(ends)
Very good analytical commentary on the Naga Peace Accord. Why it has come at this juncture. How difficult it was to reach this accord. Uncalled for reaction from Sonia Gandhi and all other relevant points well described.
ReplyDeleteND Sir,
ReplyDeleteSagacity has never been the forte of Congress and its leadership. In fact, they are the most elitist, feudal and arrogant bunch of politicians, who think that ruling the country is their birth-right. I am fully convinced that they are still hurting from the fact that they are not in power. And that is all they care.
Pray tell me, when did one see Sonia out on the streets, when UPA-I and II were in power? 10 Janpath used to sound like abode of the God of India, where one could not breathe if she did not want. And, now she is "on the streets" to protest against "murder of democracy"....I often find it difficult to blame who more -- Sonia or the bunch of jokers, who make her the kind of leader she never was and never can be?