"We are talking about autonomy of Frontier Nagaland, but what about autonomy of Nagaland as a state? - S C Jamir

 Two Naga veterans Jamir, Chishi blast Chief Minister Rio over 'Autonomous Council' row

New Delhi 

Two former Nagaland Chief Ministers S C Jamir and K L Chishi on Wednesday made a blisteringattack on incumbent CM Neiphiu Rio for what has been reported as the centre's decision togrant 'Frontier Nagaland Autonomous Council' to the people of Eastern Nagaland.

S C Jamir, also a former Governor of Gujarat and who has worked with all Prime Ministers sinceJawaharlal Nehru said, unlike the past the people of Eastern Nagaland has decided to walk awayfrom the state of Nagaland "as a result of neglect by the present (Nagaland) Govt, and they (people and leaders of Eastern Nagaland) were compelled to approach directly" the centre for a separate state.

"The present arrangement (reported assurance on Autonomous Council) was made even without routing through the elected state government", Jamir said in a statement. 

"..... It speaks volumes about the status and image of the state under Rio," said Jamir, an one time political mentor Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio.

"As a citizen of India and also an indigenous inhabitant of Nagaland, I take this opportunity to point out the difference between the Regional Council appeared at no.10(3) of the Sixteen Points Agreement of 1960 and Creation of Frontier Nagaland Autonomous Council  2023. It is both historical and political reality which cannot be denied by any one," he said.

"We are talking about autonomy of the Frontier Nagaland but what happened to the autonomy of Nagaland guaranteed under the Constitution? Who is at fault ? Let the enlightened citizens of Nagaland decide who is to be blamed," says Jamir, who enjoys a good working relations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi since the time Jamir was Governor in Gujarat when Chief Minister was none other than Mr Modi.

"Nagaland of today is a land of factions and groups, multiple authorities without any authority, and misgovernance and corruption of the highest order," Jamir said lamenting, under the present political dispensation the future of Nagaland is "bleak".

Sharing similar sentiment, another former Chief Minister K L Chishi (a Congress leader), said,

"Chief Minister Rio is solely responsible and therefore owning responsibility, he should voluntarily resign admitting his weakness and fault and sins of favouritism and nepotism".

"The concentration of power and development in a few areas of Nagaland state has led to such disastrous consequences," Chishi said accusing Rio of "amassing wealth from the funds meant for the development and for equitable distribution of funds for the state and people of Nagaland with particular reference to developments of areas of Eastern Nagaland region". 

Chishi and blogger

"The Chief Minister (Rio) has never offered a commendable position to the people of the eastern region of Nagaland and because of gross injustice meted out to such people and neglected developmental activities, the people have risen against the state of Nagaland," said Chishi under whose cabinet Rio servedas Power Minister for a brief period in 1990.

People in the Eastern Nagaland region lost their patience and called it "enough is enough", says Chishi.  

"There is nothing more to add except that he (Rio) should resign immediately or otherwise this is a fit case for Governor of Nagaland (Jagdish Mukjhi) to dismiss Rio's government," Chishi said.

The strongly worded statements from the both the leaders came on a day media reports surfaced that the centre has offered the apex tribal body, Eastern Nagaland People's Organisation (ENPO), for an "autonomous council with possible legislature and the new proposed body could be called the Frontier Nagaland Autonomous Council".

However, unnamed sources told this blogger, "The ENPO and other tribal body leaders from Eastern Nagaland want a direct funding pattern from New Delhi and in principle are against the idea of getting it routed through the Chief Minister in Kohima". 

A delegation of ENPO leaders are already in New Delhi and are likely to call on top central leadersduring the next few days.

The demand for a separate state comprising Eastern Nagaland had gained momentum at a time when the NSCN-IM was negotiating with the Government of India for 'unification of all Naga contiguous areas'.  

The Election Commission has fixed Feb 7 as the last date for filing of nominations for the Feb 27 polls in Nagaland. The scrutiny of nominations will be done on Feb 8.

The last date for withdrawal of candidature is Feb 10.  

The Ministry of Home Affairs is learnt to have counseled the ENPO leaders and others to review the call for poll boycott -- something the apex body from Eastern Nagaland had decided in August 2022.

Ends 

(Nirendra Dev is a New Delhi-based journalist. He is also author of books, 'The Talking Guns: North East India' and 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth'. Views are personal)