New Delhi
The Britishers propagated "terrible myths about Nagas" in the rest of the country.
They deliberately suppressed the reality that the Nagas were an extremely evolved society.
They also "spread negative ideas" about the rest of India amongst Naga people. -- These were words of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Aug 3, 2015 on the occasion of signing of the Framework Agreement.
Cut to circa 2022; the Government is keen for a solution. Another group of Naga ultras - NNPG - too is equally keen but the NSCN-IM that inked the 2015 'foundation pact' now says where's the Flag and the Constitution.
On to a different paradigm and completely about another state. This region had two not so popular militant leaders - Niranjan Hojai and Jewel Garlosa. Hojai was commander in chief of the Dima Halim Daoga DHD(J).
In the context of these leaders, a former intelligence bureau officer once almost lamented - "Thanks to the peace policy in north east; the gun is the easiest passport to power and pelf".
Incidentally, after its christening the anti-terror National Investigating Agency's one of the first cases - was related to Hojai and Jewel Garlosa. Both had good and meteoric rise. Hojai reportedly had posh bungalows in Darjeeling and also in Nepal.
He dealt with foreign banks and had accounts in places like Singapore. One pseudo name Nirmal Rai was allegedly used to operate an account with Kathmandu's well known Everest Bank.
He also bought membership of the elite Marriot Club and reportedly had several wives and consorts. All these happened with a lesser known group and in a poor backyards; imagine what would be the case elsewhere.
But when the case before authorities after they were apprehended by NIA sleuths, the central government had played 'peacemaker'. At the behest of Congress chief minister Tarun Gogoi, the cases against these leaders were tweaked. The reason was peace and 'alternative arrangement'.
In New Delhi, some ex-government officials and a select group discussed over these issues as news came in about recent political developments in states like Assam and Nagaland. Of course, a few people raised eyebrows. Others preferred silence and symbolic smile and a few put forefingers on lips to tell everyone in the room -- hey, even walls have ears.
One participant spoke notwithstanding the cautioning. He referred to some regional autonomy politics and said these councils get hefty central assistance and also state funding. There is legislative, judicial and executive powers on certain specified subjects.
The council bosses also control natural resources; and yet when one goes inside some of the rural areas -- local village women will be struggling for a bucket of water and more ill-fated ones would sleep half-fed.
Life goes on and so does the talk about 'alternative arrangement'. On Aug 3, 2015, the Prime Minister sounded much optimistic and declared - "Unfortunately, the Naga problem has taken so long to resolve because we did not understand each other".
Yet again, after seven years - and counting - there is still need to "understand each other".
Often when one surfs internet; uncle-Google offers - one liners - "the whole body politics is today lying diseased" .... and another says - "we are unable to respond to the challenges of modern times".
These lines used to appear in all Nagaland weeklies and dailies even in the 1990s.
One is dedicating a lot of time and energy on Nagaland and peace. At times, friends could be displeased too. There may be risks. But real doubts still remain.
It is difficult to visualise what type of socio-political climate Nagaland will have in the coming weeks.
Where's the real foundation to the lasting peace and solution?
ends
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