Is a new narrative coming into play in Naga peace talks ?
When an eminent Central Nagaland Tribes Council (CNTC) leader speak taking hardline stance - what does it mean on ground ??? >>>>
"Let the Nagas of Nagaland stand up together and decide our future", asserted Khekiye K Sema, a retired IAS officer.
Has he really unleashed a new debate vis-a-vis the future of Naga insurgency and the peace process ?
"Nagas of Nagaland" is the new narrative, Govt of India will have to handle. North East is getting messier for Narendra Modi.
Aizawl Post Office.... (Mizoram) .... urging pragmatic Mizos to invest in Indian Posts
Notably, Kukis and Zo people in Manipur share ethnic bonds with the Mizos.
Is it possible 'mistakes' by former Prime Minister I K Gujral and communist Indrajit Gupta - incidentally both deceased - have created today's 'mess' in Naga peace parleys ?
Around 1998-99, at one point even L K Advani as Atal Bihari Vajpayee's Home Minister was stunned to note that I K Gujral never met the NSCN-IM leaders. Deve Gowda met only once.
But the Ceasefire initially only for six months was announced between NSCN-IM and the Government in July-August 1997 when I K Gujral was the Prime Minister.
The announcement made on July 25, 1997 in Parliament came into effect from August 1.
Could a suave and expert hand in foreign policy - famous for his 'Gujral doctrine' - Late I K Gujral - commit such a lapse or was it one of those oversights? Gujral admitted certain things "are secret" and certain things were not discussed.
Army officials said the truce was confined to the state of Nagaland only. The then Nagaland Chief Minister S C Jamir addressed the media shortly after Gujral spoke in Parliament but he too had no details.
In 1998-99 when the Vajpayee government was in power, senior officials used to often say one big demerit
of the 1997 Naga ceasefire was that it "lacked clear definition". One senior official had said - "There were no written terms and conditions and it was merely an understanding".
Today, that confusion has actually opened Pandora's box. The NSCN-IM militants are negotiating for peace and at the same time they want a separate Flag and a Naga Constitution.
Something else happened, the 'eastern part' of Nagaland covering 20 assembly segments have walked away with the Frontier Nagaland Territorial Authority (FNTA). In Manipur, such 'territorial councils' are not acceptable to Meiteis. The Nagas of Manipur have 10 assembly segments while Meiteis have 40 of them in the 60-member assembly.
The Kukis are spearheading a movement in multiple forms for a 'separate administrative unit' since 2023.
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PM Narendra Modi : Keen for Solution ? Or like P V Narasimha Rao; on Naga talks and related matters; he too believes -- Not to take decision is also a decision ?
Meaning --- keep postponing the final Solution pact - till "my favourite chief minister" - that is Neiphiu Rio - also says -- "Sir jee, it's enough. I have created enough history and we all have also created a few problems".
Mr Ajit Lal would be finding going ... too tough for his age !
Curiously again no government after Gujral's thought it would be wise to review the clauses of initial agreement. On Oct 17, 2020, former Mizoram Governor Swaraj Kaushal had said - "The symbols of sovereignty namely, separate constitution, flag, currency, defence and foreign affairs are sacrosanct and never negotiable".
Husband of late BJP leader Sushma Swaraj; Kaushal had successfully handled Mizo parleys when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister. Kaushal was 'first' interlocutor to Naga talks appointed by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Modi's NSA, Ajit Doval was also involved in Mizo parleys.
Unlike Ajit Lal - Swaraj Kaushal - perhaps did not need any 'friendly' letter from the Home Secretary in office. But Babudom - a legacy of the British's 'divide and rule policy' knows - what to do and also when not to do something.
We may tend to forget that under both the PMs, Gujral and Deve Gowda; comrade Indrajit Gupta was the Union Home Minister.
A hardcore communist, so he did not have the administrative pulse in his grip always. Babus were trusted and even given 'extra powers'.
K Padmanabhaiah as the Home Secretary was a creature of that period. Of course, he became an interlocutor in peace parleys under Vajpayee government.
Many BJP insiders later felt they reposed confidence in a wrong man. Padmanabhaiah allegedly even declined to visit Nagaland.
His favourite meeting place (s) with NSCN-IM leaders allegedly used to be Bangkok or even Paris and Zurich in Europe. In fact, Deve Gowda had met two NSCN-IM leaders first formally at Zurich in February 1997.
The real fact of polity and life is that both the PMs - Deve Gowda and Gujral - must have got their hands in so many other challenges chiefly ensureing 'survival' of their government.
To run a government with outside support of a party like Congress could not be bed of roses.
Hence, the Naga peace talks were left to the Home Ministry and some senior officials. As the in-charge of Home Ministry (MHA), in retrospect, one can say in circa 2026 that Indrajit Gupta should have done his part well. The homework was ignored.
The Naga intellectuals and even voluntary organisations are annoyed over this 'lack of transparency'.
In 2022, central government officials quoted NNPG's statement ahd said mansions have come up in Ukhrul, in other parts of India and also abroad.
Farmlands were being developed in Dimapur, Chumukedima and Peren districts.
"With such grandiose luxury accumulated over three decades, it is very easy to hide behind powerful slogans like greater Nagalim, flag, constitution etc to soak in the wealth of Nagaland for a few more decades," the NNPG had said.
Veteran S C Jamir was more than candid on Nov 11 - when he said: "Some of the leaders of the overground are telling underground, you scratch my back, I will also scratch your back. And let us live comfortably".
Only Mr Ajit Lal would not be much comfortable with all that.
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| Late Indrajit Gupta : Home Minister in 1997 |
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