New Delhi
The state of Nagaland and a Naga woman were among the headlines for a few days.
S. Phangnon Konyak, who heads the women’s wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), was in March 2022 elected to the Rajya Sabha or Upper House of parliament.
Phangnon is the first female among Nagas to be elected to the Rajya Sabha and
only the second woman parliamentarian from the state after Rano Shaiza in the 1970s. Of course, she is the first BJP member of parliament too.
"I know my responsibilities, expectations are huge," she says shyly.
Though shy, displaying humility, she, however, has been assertive: "I am not afraid of hard work".
As expected, the BJP leaders called her election and party's decision to field a woman a revolutionary step and empowering for women, especially in the context of a state that has so far not elected a single woman legislator to the state assembly.
In its political history as the 16th state of Indian union since December 1963, Nagaland has never had any elected woman MLA though at times candidates have been fielded but they lost.
Ms Phangnon had landed at the capital's well known Foreign Correspondents' Club as an invitee for an informal interaction with journalists.
During interaction a senior scribe told her that she is starting her parliamentary career with immense goodwill in the national capital as "journalists normally do not wait for one and half hours for politicians".
"Last time I waited for a politician for one and half hours was for Atal Bihari Vajpayee's rally," the senior journalist said amid applause by those present while Phangnon looking shy bowed her head with folded hands in humility.
The saffron party leaders were appreciative of the fact that the newly elected MP Ms Konyak has taken her job seriously and on the second day of her parliamentary career itself she made use of the Question Hour and asked a supplementary question related to Anganwadi workers and the Budget.
Phangnon Konyak also sat through the evening session and declined to move out before the day's proceedings ended.
In fact as the parliament session prolonged, she was late for the Foreign Correspondents' Club show.
However, politics is always with controversies and emotive issues.
Her election has gradually become a Hindu-versus-Christianity issue, at least for some individuals and political players. Curiously, one church leader has also joined the debate.
"The people's government with Christian votes has shamed and destroyed the image of every Christian and that of the Christian state," said Nagaland Congress chief Kewekhape Therie.
He was perhaps more displeased as no individual or party among the 60 Naga elected members of the Legislative Assembly opposed the “Delhi move", resulting in the uncontested election of Phangnon Konyak.
Her candidacy was supported by two the Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party and the Naga People's Front.
In fact, Nagaland has an opposition-less government headed by Neiphiu Rio of NDPP and supported by BJP and the NPF.
“In the context where the majority are Christians, if Christians do not involve themselves in politics, there is a 100 percent chance that we are giving an opportunity to a non-Christian government in a Christian-dominated state,” said Villo Naleo, dean of Shalom Bible Seminary and committee convener of the Clean Election Movement under the Nagaland Baptist Church Council.
It is worth mentioning that Nagas have always been sensitive about their Christian credentials and in the past, even expressed suspicions about communist influence in Naga life and politics.
In the 1980s and 1990s, Naga militant groups were compelled to use the slogan “Nagaland for Christ” after the guerrillas received support and 'training' from China.
In fact, even underground militant groups often make references to the Bible when issuing press statements.
"The Congress leaders in Nagaland are frustrated. The Congress party is now marginalised. It did not get 60 candidates to contest in 2018. So though the statement about Hindutva politics could be attributed to political motives and efforts to draw mileage, the fact of the matter is the BJP's pro-Hindutva stance is definitely an election issue in Nagaland," says a Hindu businessman in Dimapur.
But Phangnon Konyak seeks to make light of this 'Hindutva angle' and said, "The opposition in Nagaland (the Congress) has only the 'Hindutva card' against BJP. It is time they should also grow".
ends
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