New Delhi
The Konyak Nagas are being talked about and discussed at certain lengths in the corridors of power in Delhi - like never before.
The year gone by has left unfortunate memories due to the gory Oting episode. One impact of such a tragedy of the so-called mistaken identity is that ivory tower experts in Delhi have pulled up sleeves and are trying to take a closer view of the lives and times of Konyaks.
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| Chingwang Konyak |
Some of them even are asking, "How Konyaks are different from other Nagas?".
The curiosity is coming a bit late.
Earlier obsession was the pet phrase 'head hunting'.
Till hitherto many in Delhi presumed Nagas as a homogeneous community and sought a uniform policy for all Nagas.
As an idea, uniformity is certainly a good thing as perhaps the desire of a uniform civil code in India.
But it is always better to know local conditions and local sentiment. Each community in India has
multiple sub-communities and sub-sects within.
"Aurangzeb' s Delhi" - a phrase I am borrowing from the Late Chief Secretary of Nagaland - A M Gokhale - never
bothered about these.
The phrase "Aurangzeb's Delhi" applies not only to Indian political masters irrespective of party affiliations
and Babus, it is also with all varieties of self righteous people of Delhi - media included.
On arrival from Nagaland in 1998, I had given a story about women Naga insurgents. A Delhi Desk
person in a prominent news organisation, whose life began in Punjabi Bagh and possibly end with the 'Punjabi Bagh'
mentality, told me when I meet the Naga women insurgents "Next time", I should get their snaps and also
ask a few "uncomfortable questions'.
Otherwise, she passed the 'Aurangzeb variety' of a verdict -- "You are glorifying Naga insurgency".
I kept mum and then simply told her, the insurgent ladied were not my girl friends.
Later, I thought to myself about life and times. In the backyards of Nagaland, I was a 'plain manu' and so an
'outsider'.
In Delhi - native Delhi wallahs would unhesitatingly call me someone glorifying the Naga insurgency.
"Chalega" - I thought, and moved on.
Coming to the Chingwang Konyak missing Chief Ministership episode.
The ruthless political machinations of intra party squabbles in Congress then denied Chingwang Konyak the
chief ministership. Paradoxically, Chingwang is now the chief heading the regional NDPP to which Neiphiu Rio
is the power behind and in front of the throne.
Chingwang was Pradesh Congress chief during 1993 elections, and then then Prime Minister and AICC
chief P V Narasimha Rao had almost made up his mind either to make Hokishe or Chingwang the next Chief Minister of Nagaland.
Hokishe belonged to Rao's 'old club' in Congress politics of the Indira Gandhi era and with
Chingwang, the then PM Rao wanted to reward all pradesh Congress presidents for the organisation's success.
In Meghalaya, in the elections the same year pradesh unit chief S C Marak was made the Chief Minister.
At Dimapur rally in mid February, Hokishe was allowed to deliver the Welcome Address and Jamir was to
deliver the Vote of Thanks. But after his speech, Rao completed the show immediately.
In the process, Jamir could not deliver his vote of thanks. Whether Jamir forgave Chingwang for this is yet to
confirmed.
But in the elections, both Hokishe and Chingwang lost.
Chingwang lost in his bastion Wakching to P Enyei Konyak, who was NCP candidate.
Hokishe lost to Independent nominee Vikheshe Sema in Dimapur I assembly segment.
Chingwang still did not give up and after an ailing NCP legislator T P Manlem expired, as the PCC chief
he was keen to contest the by-election and enter the assembly.
Jamir and his team worked overtime and ultimately fielded Wangyu Konyak, then a Tourism department official.
A shattered Chingwang quit as pradesh Congress chief.
Now, the climax:
In the entire political lobbying, one person who helped S C Jamir in taking up Wangyu's case and denied Chingwang
the chance to enter the state assembly was Neiphiu Rio, who turned into a Jamir's bitter rival a few years later.
Politics always take a whimsical path. Sushil Kumar Shinde was the AICC general secretary in-charge of Nagaland,
who obliged Jamir's wishes. In later years, I landed in Mumbai. Shinde became Chief Minister of Maharashtra for
a while and Jamir came to Raj Bhavan as the Governor.
Here is another anecdote. Late P A Sangma once teased Jamir - in our presence - "For you, Jamir Sir, of course
Shinde was the best AICC general secretary". Some of us laughed. Jamir sahab had to smile a bit !
In another paradoxical turn of events, the other loyal lieutenant to Jamir then was K Therie, the present Congress chief in Nagaland.
But in the subsequent period, both Therie and Rio fell out with Jamir and the NPF was floated.
In the 2003 elections, Rio and his team won, marking the end of 'Jamir days' in Nagaland politics.
Rio became Chief Minister and Therie - his Finance Minister.
But this bonhomie also ended soon and the rest, as they say, is history.
Mon district obviously woke up to a Christmas morning on December 25, 2021 lamenting the death of
innocent mine workers.
The AFSPA was extended on December 30, and as the new dawn came with the new
calendar year, the Mon district is still awaiting its 'first Konyak' Chief Minister.
That's the reality of 2022 for you.
Happy New Year.
Ends
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| Angami Nagas of Kohima district |
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