"NNO forced me & TN Angami out; we later formed UDF"
New Delhi
A day after voting is over in Nagaland and fates of the candidates have been sealed, veteran leader Dr S C Jamir has said it is high time to put a check on the manner regional outfits and smaller parties have come up in India.
"Now that elections are over, Feb 27 voting in Nagaland is done, I can share my views more frankly and openly with you. Dev, mushrooming of regional parties have harmed India. But maybe we are late in more ways than one. Mushrooming of smaller, regional and even signboard varieties of parties have brought down the standard of parliamentary debate," veteran Jamir told 'Nagaland Page'.
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He said as a result of this, people in Parliament discuss drains and roads. Some of these should have been handled in state assemblies and municipal bodies. Jamir who has worked with all Indian Prime Ministers since Jawaharlal Nehru said, "During our initial days in politics and in parliament; we used to think probably two or three political forces will dominate Indian political scene.
That would have helped India. I think many problems India faces today even after 75 years of its existence like caste-based politics would not have got encouragement".
"On the same backdrop, I will argue; linguistic based politics also were encouraged. This has triggered a dangerous trend. One party may be called a Bengali party or Tamil party. This was not the India, our founding fathers had imagined," he said.
Answering questions, Jamir, who first entered Parliament in 1961 and served till 1970, said, "Still this country has a huge potential. People are good and disciplined. They love their country. The spirit of nationalism is very strong. This was proved during the Kargil conflict of 1999.....Remember how our Assamese people resisted the pro-Pakistan campaign by ULFA. That's India's hidden strengths".
To another question, he said, no Naga worth his salt will deny the existence of the Naga political issue. "But at the same time, some of us took bullets on our bodies for whom......I think it is to uphold the Indian Constitution and for the unity and integrity of the country.
Why Naga soldiers and officials in the Indian army perform so brilliantly? Is it for their salary? No, it is for their devotion to work and in honour of the tri-colour. Think of the innocent Naga policeman from a village. All have a great sense of duty and devotion".
However, he said, "Unlike our time, these days politicians are there with selfish motives. We also had political differences with stalwarts like Hokishe Sema and R C Chitten Jamir and much later even my friend Vamuzo. But there were political issues involved. We did not fight over money or such paltry things".
To a question, Jamir referred to his days in the UDF in the 1970s.
He recalled quite vividly. "The Naga Nationalst Organization to which Hokishe and all of us were members passed a Resolution at Pfutsero general session affirming that "Naga underground are not hostiles but an integral part of Naga family and they should be treated as such".
This landmark resolution was not implemented by the NNO Govt. Hence differences arose within the party. Some of us led by T N Angami, former CM, were expelled from the party".
He further said, "So, along with the UFN we formed the UDF. In the subsequent election UDF came to power. It was the desire of the people we formed the UDF".
Jamir referred to the interaction we had in mid February, 2023.
"Therefore, when you met me before elections earlier this month, I was categorical with you about one thing, only the Congress party or a nationalist party like BJP can deliver in Nagaland, in northeast India or at the national level".
He suggested that no constitutional mechanism can prevent the floating of new parties. "I think the answer or corrective measure to this serious malady lies with the people. I think a churning process has started. Even in the northeast, people are now accepting the BJP and have given up the practice of untouchability."
"Because they realise, only nationalist parties under a decisive Prime Minister like Shri Narendra Modi can deliver," the former Chief Minister and ex-Gujarat Governor added.
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