Memories: What's Naga Khabar?

Memories: What's Naga Khabar?

New Delhi 

It could read stranger than fiction.

Between 1956 and 1958 when insurgency related incidents were at its peak, there were numerous ambushes against Indian armed forces.

And as expected there were counter ambushes as well.

Scato Swu, former President of FGN, recalls the period in his distinct style.
"Having failed to subdue the Nagas by might of arms, a new strategy styled as 'Naga Khabar' written in every Naga dialect was introduced," says Scato's book, 'Hails and Blames - A Brief Account of Naga Independence Struggle'.

He wrote acidly, "Naga Khabar was full of black lies that were unworthy of India".

My first acquaintance with the phrase 'Naga Khabar' was in the 1990s when the S C Jamir government was in power.
The opposition NPC leaders including the likes of vocal legislators Vamuzo, Shurhozelie and Huska Sumi used to struggle for space in the local papers.

They used to be more disappointed when important issues raised in the Assembly would not be highlighted

and only the government version -- responses from the likes of Chief Minister S C Jamir and his Finance

Minister K L Chishi would be highlighted in the local media.

On a number of occasions, they raised the issue informally with some of us and also in the House

as part of Zero Hour proceedings. 

But it was Huska who diagnosed the malady. "Most newspapers depend a lot on 'Naga News'

daily bulletin of DIPR...and our 'Naga News' is now like the 'Naga Khabar' of the 1950s".

Husma Sumi explained to me in detail about the 'Naga Khabar' then. 

In his book, Scato Swu also noted - "Naga freedom fighters were labelled as hostels, rebels, thugs, dacoits, 

murderers.....".

He further recorded in his book - Page 20 - that "The Naga Khabar air dropping continued for several years

and it came to an end in fiasco".

Swu's argument had been -- "The propaganda was intended to woo away the villagers from the freedom fighters

but the villagers made a mockery of the propaganda pamphlets by renaming it 'India Khabar' and not 'Naga Khabar'".

At one point, Swu says, "The printed propaganda against the Naga freedom fighters were constantly air dropped over evey 

village along with aerial oral propaganda with the help of electronic megaphones". 

ends 

 PRESIDENT TO VISIT NAGALAND, MIZORAM & SIKKIM FROM NOV 2 TO 5

 

 

The President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, will visit Nagaland, Mizoram and Sikkim from November 2 to 5, 2022. 

On November 2, 2022, the President will attend the civic reception to be hosted in her honour by the Government of Nagaland in Kohima. On that occasion, she will also inaugurate/lay the foundation stone for various projects related to education and infrastructure in the state. 

On November 3, 2022, the President will pay her respects at the Kohima War Cemetery and visit Kigwema village where she will interact with the Village Council Members and the members of SHGs. On the same day, she will grace the 17th convocation of the Mizoram University at Aizawl and inaugurate various education related projects in the state of Mizoram.  In the evening, she will also attend the civic reception to be hosted by the Government of Mizoram in her honour at the Raj Bhavan, Aizawl. 

On November 4, 2022, the President will address the members of the Mizoram Legislative Assembly at Aizawl.  On the same day, she will attend a civic reception to be hosted by the Government of Sikkim in her honour and inaugurate/lay the foundation stones for the various projects of Central and State governments.   

On November 5, 2022, the President will interact with women achievers and members of SHGs at Tathagatha Tsal, Ravongla before returning to Delhi.