Politics is often an art of applying wrong medicines !
Someone is enjoying the entire drama of misleading the people of Nagaland. I have no issues. The NDPP as a party has every right to dissolve itself or merge with the NPF or with any other party.
But the issue is of propriety ... When leaders talk ... please do so with the dignity attached.
Why "mislead" the people, media and also other political stakeholders? Not long ago Chief Minster Neiphiu Rio addressed a "closed door" meeting of NDPP colleagues including the likes of 'Mani Shankar Aiyar'. --- He said when the issue of merger of NDPP with the NPF was raised --- Home Minister Amit Shah did not respond.
"Tai eku reply dia nae," Rio told the party colleagues on Sept 12 evening -- paradoxically hours before PM Narendra Modi visited Manipur.
In an earlier blog - my humble argument was .... No reply from Amit Shah .... may not mean -- "Why should I bother?" It also could be -- "Accha yeh baat hae ... (So much is your audacity)".
But on Oct 15 -- in the so called meeting of the PDA (that included two most precious NPF MLAs) --- one four-point resolution was adopted.
My focus is strictly on Resolution No. 4.
It says :
"The House further extended its appreciation to the central leadership of the BJP for its guidance. support and positive decision in endorsing the inclusion of the NPF as a partner of the PDA".
If this point is drafted by "local Mani Shankar Aiyar" - we can sympathise with Rio. If it is drafted by a former hyper active NSF 'activist' - we may sympathise with the entire team of NDPP and NPF ---- because some activists even after joining politics presume they are still in the old building -- now taken over by the Naga Club !!
The PDA is the alliance in the state which has BJP and the NDPP as principal stakeholders.
Some of the remarks could be nuanced. It is talking about NPF's inclusion in the ruling alliance. But it means for all practical purposes that - the BJP is okay with the idea of the so-called merger.
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| Blogger and NSF office bearers - Aug 2022 |
Late Shikiho Sema during one of the rare controversies with NSF leadership (then under R Paphino) once told us in AIR, Kohima news room - "I am now in the Congress... I have to talk as a Congressman.... I am no longer in the NSF though that is my background for political grooming".
The point is some new and old colleagues and advisors of Rio could be misleading him in their over enthusiasm. The intention may not be bad all the time.
But over smartness is a malady. It comes from certain element of over confidence.
The PDA resolution actually need not make any such mention. Moreover, something happened in 2017. If the BJP central leadership today endorses the chief minister to take charge of NPF .... someone should seek an explanation from the saffron party central leadership on its pledge vis-a-vis protection of Gau Mata.
Moreover, on Sept 12th - Rio told NDPP leaders -- Shah did not respond to his reference about the merger.
So .. come on Mr Chief Minister .. be little more transparent and share with the voters and media persons/bloggers like me ...
What TRANSPIRED between Sept 12 and Oct 15th ??
Firstly; whether Home Minister Shah conveyed his "positive response" in writing or in tele talk with Rio himself or the likes of Mani Shankar Aiyar or deputy CM Y Patton or Rio's "handpicked" BJP president Nagaland !!
Patton and BJP president Nagaland (allegedly a diehard Rio fan) also attended the PDA meet.
Secondly, if Shah was silent when the issue was raised by Rio -- now whether BJP national president J P Nadda (these days he is also busy selecting 'ambassadors' who had backed Tuk Tukde gang) -- has endorsed the NDPP-NPF merger move !!
Thirdly, if it is likes of Himanta Biswa Sarma or Nalin Kohli or other laughable 'north east in charges' .... the entire episode is LAUGHABLE for the people and electorate too. Poor Himanta is already in a bigger troubles even otherwise !!
And now fourthly - can PDA claim - no less than Narendra Modi himself has endorsed the merger move with the NPF - that had organised a beef festival in 2017.
If so ... Kudos !
Mr Chief Minister; -- You have been my well wisher even in the 1990s when many Naga leaders preferred to avoid talking to us whenever there were some problems of "love letters" from people who are now very close to you and your regime.
Even as a modest MLA - you used to scream at the then Chief Minister Vamuzo ---
"You cannot frame me". (this was your pet phrase when you missed the ministerial berth)
We disagreed with many policies of the Congress party: but we knew you as a "gutsy" Home Minister. Maybe we were wrong. Maybe circumstances "tied your hands" .... but do not take these protective shields.
In 2017 when Shurhozelie announced T R Zeliang as the CM-face for NPF for 2018 polls -- you told me in Delhi ... that you had already sounded your displeasure.
That was Neiphiu -- we knew; and if I am not wrong -- that was Neiphiu even S C Jamir trusted when he made you the Home Minister in 1998.
Jamir used to say once he did two mistakes - made Vamuzo chief minister (1990) and K L Chishi (Finance Minister - 1993). He forgets the third mistake.
As a matter of fact - if you want to be the local custodian of the symbol Cock.... behave like one.
Late Vizol spoke as the "weakest Naga" I have ever known. He appeared almost a Bengali poet. ... meek and shy.
Frail Voice.
But it was he who had dropped S C Jamir as the UDF deputy CM and PWD Minister. People remember such leaders.
People of India have almost 'forgotten' Manmohan Singh - a PM of 10 years - not because they did not like his face or the manner he spoke -- because he "surrendered" meekly before the Mother-son duo.
If you are shy of your "political journey" - as you told veteran Shurhozelie on Oct 14 - you need not take a Hindutva party's permission.
Or if this Resolution was a 'bad draft' -- you better take stock of who all deserves to be in your team.
NPF secretary general and MLA Achumbemo Kikon said:
“The objective of supporting the government for the past two and a half years was to take the Naga peace process forward and to send a strong and practical message to the Naga people that if we all have the political will and the desire to come together, there is a possibility.
('How much forward' and what was the strong message ?
- people are wondering and probably even Mr A K Mishra will need some Hajmolas. )
"And therefore, we have come together in the form of an opposition-less government", he said.
However, Kikon clarified that there is a difference between “supporting the government” and “being inside the government." -- Yes Mr Kikon, we all know that. Some are 'ministers' and others are not.
Do not drag Peace talks into these !
Wrap Up :
Legacy is the most precious commodity - far from precious than the Boleros we see around.
If you wreck your vehicle; you can get a better and even costlier one.
Legacy does not fall into that category.
ends
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| Has he approved 2017 Eating Festival of Kohima ? |
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