New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be keen to announce a final peace pact with the Naga militant groups on or by the Independence Day, August 15.
But in a development related to 'Naga culture' displaying that all is not good between National Socialist Council of Nagaland -Isaac Muivah - NSCN(IM) faction and the government authorities, the potent Naga armed group has opposed the ban on sale and consumption of dog meat in the state.
"Since time immemorial dog is bred for different purposes like hunting, pet, house guard and for food. These have become the cultural traits of the Nagas as far as keeping dogs is concerned.....to force us to stop eating dog meat on the grounds of cruelty to animals is not acceptable to us. What about other animals or birds?," the militant group said in a statement.
The outfit, which is reported to have finalised a much sought for peace pact with the Government of India,
lashed out at the Nagaland government - run by regional party NDPP in alliance with the BJP.
"Earlier, the state government tried to ban cow meat under the influence of Hindutva. Nagaland state government
went for the unthinkable to ban dog meat just to please some political celebrities," the statement said
perhaps in reference to noted animal activist and former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi.
"Nowhere the Nagas share something common with the mainland Indians. In as much as facial structure is different, so is the food habits. Thus, racially or ethnically, Nagas and Indians are nowhere near to share anything similar. Let no force on earth impose alien culture on the Naga people. Leave us alone as we have been for decades. Leave the Naga food habit alone,"
the statement said.
It said thus the Nagaland state cabinet decision to ban dog meat in Nagaland by an order of 3rd July, 2020 has raised
a question - “What is the urgency to ban dog meat without taking into consideration the culture of the indigenous
Naga people?”.
"Moreover, the right to eat anything as per one’s culture should not be put under restriction simply to satisfy the whims and fancy of somebody in power. The Nagas are equally concern on cruelty to any kind of animals," it said.
On July 3, the state Chief Secretary Temjen Toy, announced on Twitter the state government’s decision to ban
the commercial import and trading of dogs, prohibit dog markets and sale of dog meat.
The missive in the micro blogging site was also tagged to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, BJP leader Maneka Gandhi, a renowned
animal activist and the founder of People for Animals (PFA).
The Nagaland government notification had also invoked the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
Regulation, 2011, specifically a sub-regulation that defines animals that are 'safe' for human consumption.
Some animal rights groups such as the Humane Society International (HSI), which has campaigned
to end India's dog-meat trade, welcomed the decision by Nagaland government.
Local Nagas, however, say unlike it is made out to be, the dog meat is "not the staple diet" of the Nagas in general.
Only one or two particular Naga tribe(s) take dog meat. Moreover, the dish is not served in Naga hotels and restaurants
in a general sense.
"It (dog meat) is a rarity, and a large number of Naga households do not consume it.
Yet, the dog meat narrative has become a tool for inciting violence, hate and racism....," says a recent article
by a native Naga in 'Frontline' magazine.
Political observers say essentially the reason for NSCN (IM) joining the issue with the state government on the food item
is more than that sees the eyes.
"Though a peace pact was agreed in October last year after 22 years of parleys and intense negotiations between NSCN(IM) and the central government last year, some serious hitches remain. These emotive issues would come up now yet again as the central government is in hurry to announce a final agreement before or by August 15," a source said.
Recently, Nagaland Governor R N Ravi, who is also chief negotiator from the central government, has provoked
angry reactions from the Naga outfits by his description of the Naga militant groups as "armed gangs".
Nagaland Governor Ravi, seen as a trusted lieutenant of NSA Ajit Doval, was of course sharing his grievance
against growing number of "extortion" in Nagaland.
Mr Ravi in his June 16 letter to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, pointed out that the state was being virtually
run by over half a dozen “armed gangs” who were challenging the legitimacy of the constitutionally-established
state government and questioning the integrity and sovereignty of the nation.
The NSCN (IM) had hit back at the Governor saying it does not commit extortion at any point of time
but "levies legitimate taxes from the people".
The NSCN(IM) had first come forward for talks in August 1997 during the stint of I K Gujral as the Prime
Minister even as the informal parleys had started during the tenure of P V Narasimha Rao when
Late Rajesh Pilot was Minister of State for Home and catered to 'internal security'.
The militant group had signed a Framework Agreement on August 3, 2015 in the presence of
Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
However, the NSCN-IM’s demands for a separate Naga flag, some laws related to Naga contiguous
areas and a Naga constitution still remain unresolved.
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| Blogger: Science College, Kohima |
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