Chairperson -
Woman Social worker and a former educationist:
"You have been summoned as a mark of celebration ... to celebrate the Festival of Lights - Diwali and also the great victory of Regionalism in Nagaland. You have been consistent about one thing... attacking chief minister Neiphiu Rio. Now are you okay with this idea of grilling... ?
Blogger Dev :
Yes; I am. My wife is always right and as you know I keep telling ... all my teachers and especially women teachers... they are always right. The panel can shoot questions right way.
Second member - a retired civil servant (somewhere in northeast) : As among the three members in the panel to quiz you; we have only one woman. She will be the chairperson. Are you okay with the idea ?
Blogger Dev : Yes. Absolutely okay.
Chairperson - Woman Social worker : And I wish to tell you .... the third person here is a former intelligence official ... from Nainital. The court proceedings begin. First question is from our third member.
Third member :
Well madam chairperson thank you. To start with ... my first question will be ... you have targeted Mr Rio a lot and he is now the boss of NPF. He will take over as new NPF president too? What was your journalism all about --- are you strictly anti-Rio ... or you were against NDPP? You glorify Narendra Modi from time to time ... but in Nagaland you attack BJP so aggressively ?
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| sincerely yours !! |
Blogger Dev :
Sir, firstly, I am not anti-anybody. I am and I was always pro-news and dedicated to my argument or view points for the news analyses. I attacked Mr Rio as he is the chief minister. And as chief minister despite potentials and all support from Delhi; he did not do enough to deliver Solution.
If I may add - the question of his failure to ensure the Solution .... does not arise. He simply did not do enough. A student who is capable of scoring 95 per cent ... was not working hard even to get 60 or 70 percent. Such students ought to be reprimanded. Our panel chairperson will agree.
Chairperson - Woman Social worker :
But why go after him ... on daily basis ? Even a few days back you raised the NPF Bef festival controversy .... ?
Blogger Dev :
Sorry madam. I did not raise it. The Beef festival was organised in 2017 .... the BJP was in power in Delhi and the Governor P B Acharya was a BJP appointee. And respect for Gau Mata is not my personal philosophy or something... It's like a guiding principle for the RSS and the BJP.
If everyone has forgotten that today ... I too do not mind. I will be a changed journalist in my individual capacity henceforth. Rio is hardly my personal target. In fact, in this present Nagaland assembly - he is perhaps the only MLA I was friendly since 1990s. T R Zeliang was not so media friendly.
I think - all others would have been 'my junior' technically. My generation of journalism and politics is of 1990s.... Chingwang sahab was there. I worked with ... and I grilled and criticised leaders like S C Jamir, K L Chishi and Vamuzo and Hokishe. Mr Lohe became Speaker in 1998... prior to him we had Thenucho.
That reminds me one thing - once Mr Thenucho joked with some of us about Teak and Rosewood trees. Both are prized hardwoods known for their durability...Teak is typically golden-brown. Rosewood is usually darker .... Nagaland politics has changed a lot.
The special varieties of woods are forgotten today. We journalists should not be blamed for that. Thenucho will remember the joke .... because what he said those days has come true.
Ordinary woods require chemical treatment to resist pests and decay. I am sure panel will understand what I am trying to say.
Dead woods will have to be replaced for good results in the end.
Second member - a retired civil servant :
You are again trying to act smart. What's wrong in the NDPP-NPF merger if it brings development and Solution to the Naga problem?
Blogger Dev :
Well, why should I say ... there is something 'wrong' or even something right in the merger. That's not my job. I am only a fly on the wall. As a journalist my job is to tell there is a fire in the street. You call the fire brigade or let people burn .. is not my headache.
I am not a peace worker too. All political parties promised Solution. Rio became chief minister in 2018 because BJP's slogan was Election for Solution. And then the drama started..... 2019 .... poor Governor R N Ravi took things to the final stage. But today I feel; the Solution did not come because people involved in the business of Solution did not deserve Solution.
If somebody just wanted a Solution to become next chief minister of Nagaland --- the state already has one.
Rio is a much better individual than anyone else. In fact, he does not need my certificate also. People always get the leadership it deserves.... West Bengal deserved a whimsical Mamata Banerjee.... in 1996 ... India deserved Deve Gowda ... He is ailing these days; I do not want to speak more.
Third member, a former intelligence sleuth :
So can we presume... you will stop attacking Neiphiu Rio ... for no reason or rhyme ?
Blogger Dev :
Certainly... maybe I have already stopped. Actually, there was no reason... I started realising it lately. When people who should be against him... are loving him and getting embraced. Why should I continue to be a joker and keep attacking him ?
Everybody is saying ... Rio is a great chief minister. I will say the same thing ... maybe (smiles). There are so many good roads ... even Rahul Gandhi ... such an intelligent and superb performer Congress president who lost three elections to Modi ... did not criticise Rio government in 2024 elections.
Moreover, Rahul's candidate Supongmeren won and our honourable MP wants an airport at Kohima. Everyone is brilliant. My teacher is chairperson in this panel and madam will never appreciate me being such an idiot. ...
Is not it madam ?
Chairperson - Woman Social worker
Stop dragging me into these... As a teacher, we did some mistakes and you are a living example of that. Let us talk on policy matters ... what kind of roadmap we may have in near future ?
Blogger Dev :
It's simple. Eat, drink and pray .. as I said, let all others also eat and drink. Ruin is the road to transformation, character Liz says in that Julia Robert's movie.
So.. it's simple. Let the ruin come ... Transformation will come at its own pace. Enjoy the party .... In that film .. Luca Spaghetti says -- : 'Americans know entertainment, but they don't know pleasure'.
Nagaland will soon discover such ideas. We may not know the journey... but yes, we know the Bolero.
Chairperson - Woman Social worker
Hmmm .... In that film ... someone says - We all want things to stay the same, David. What's wrong in that ? You keep calling Status Quo Club. What is your intention?
Blogger Dev :
I have said ..I was wrong. I should have said .... everyone is great ... NDPP is the greatest. Status Quo Club is the salvation.
There's a wonderful old Italian joke about a poor man, who goes to church every day and prays before the statue of a great saint saying, "Dear saint, please, please, please, please, let me win the lottery." Finally, the exasperated statue comes to life and says, "My son, please, please, please, please, buy a ticket."
Second member - a retired civil servant :
We may have to wrap up the proceedings and the grilling soon. Before we conclude, may we ask .... what should now ideally happen..... When will the Solution come ? And who will win the 2028 election ?
Blogger Dev :
As we have come to the conclusion part... let me plead not guilty. Sir, it is the loss of titles that matter a lot in today's world. The crown was captured by the grace of Ram (Madhav) -- the man and not the God ... in 2018. So to retain it makes better sense.
Not to get the Solution ... is the long lasting Solution. Everyone is happy about it. So sir, your question is on a wrong premise.
And about 2028 elections and even 2033 ---- the result is well known. But in between if Congress comes back to power in Delhi .... forget Hindutva .... the Rooster will be killed by "hands". Jai Rahul ... Jai Priyanka ... and the new slogan may also add - Jai Ram.
And down south Ram Madhav may write a book - "My days and His days".
Chairperson - Woman Social worker :
The court martial trial is over and this court is pleased to declare you Guilty. Sometimed, we should punish the ones we love in order to protect them.
ends
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