Any militant leader saying India is 'not to be trusted', it is serious
New Delhi
China is in news. It's in news even from the context of Nagaland. One paper is in circulation wherein about a month back, NSCN-IM has welcomed developments related to Xi Jinping.
To be friends to a democratic India makes global sense in today's world than to befriend a communist China. Russia to the United States and Australia to Japan everyone will readily endorse this view.
At present the Naga peace talks is at a crossroads. People are 'confused'.
Without telling much let us refer here to a quote from foreign policy expert Pran Chopra made in 1988 in a seminar paper in England.
"Any country's foreign policy is the product of its past history, which it cannot change, its geography, which is normally very durable, its domestic circumstances, which evolve constantly.......", he had said.
The import of the statement is understood well in the context of northeastern India and Nagaland.
Domestic situations keep evolving -- from the Jamir era to the one dominated by Neiphiu Rio. Jamir had said, "I never met Khaplang". But the stories went on -- sometime truth, sometime half-truth and even allegedly concocted stories.
Every new era creates 'sacred cows'. What is this era's sacred cow? So, who is meeting whom in the new era?
Let us talk economics. Nagaland as a state is 'dependent' on New Delhi's support economically. As Chief Minister S C Jamir used to say - "Nagaland is the only state born out of an agreement".
Illustrious Jamir
Was NPF convention played as a too safe venture? Shurhozelie is expected to be more candid.
For sound reasons India chose self-reliance as an economic goal long back and in pursuance of this New Delhi has been trying to help all states including Nagaland.
In many states 'public sector' was a tool for transformation. In many states, private players played their roles and people worked round the year for most part of the day and changed their fortunes.
In the northeast quite easily people developed White Collared Job Syndrome. If I am born, I must be educated; if I study, should be given scholarship. If I am educated I should be given a government job and preferably the job should be at my home town.
The syndromes associated with Babudom elsewhere caught up in Nagaland too.
So, self-reliance is a distant dream. Now, a big hungama was staged in the name of CSR conclave.
The term 'Corporate Social Responsibility' is essentially a charity. It has been redefined in the language of some kind of management guru that it is "concept whereby companies integrate social and environmental concerns in their business operations and interactions with their stakeholders".
Under law, the CSR is unavoidable.
However, in her speech at the Kohima Conclave, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman underlined that the "CSR happens when there is investment".
And, after near completion of 60 years since statehood in 1963, Nagaland is still debating the 'conducive atmosphere' for corporate investment.
In contrast, China has the global reputation of creating 'conducive atmosphere". And that is not done by using carrot only policy or kid gloves !
It is never a case that things are 'ideal' in India. But democracy is somehow cherished. One Leader of the opposition party gets away in this country by describing Prime Minister as a 'chor'. But a journalist in Delhi may not be able to report something about a state -- where BJP may be a junior partner !
That's also beauty of democracy.
At the national level, the people of India always see the country as a single geographic whole and distinct.
Naga youths have been martyred in protecting the honour of the national Flag during Kargil and yet there are occasions some youths would be mercilessly eliminated as in Oting in 2021.
Thinking about the 'China factor', a security expert in Delhi says - It is still a matter of debate in India whether the clash with China actually came due to 'political and diplomatic' factors or complex boundary dispute.
Suave foreign minister Dr S Jaishankar says, "Relations between the two countries can only become sustainable on the basis of mutual respect, mutual sensitivity and mutual interest".
This spirit must be assessed in the context of Nagaland's ties with Delhi also.
ends
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