The issue of de-limitation has lately become a prevailing hot issue. Due to the gravity of the situation and far reaching consequences, I am compelled to desperately make a feeble attempt to instill in the minds of all right thinking Nagas, to kindly adhere to your conscience and comply with our point of view.
The impending de-limitation issue has initiated the unprecedented race for political placement and survival. The ugly face of sheer selfish instinct and overtures has blatantly emerged. The pandemonium and chaos following its obviously consequential.
First and foremost, why has the de-limitation exercise been necessitated? A direct answer would be to check any discrepancy prevailing and bring about justice and equality.
What is happening? The trend of developments enveloping suggests that there is a deep conspiracy existing. The contest seems to be basically between the privileged and the deprived. Mere redrawing and re-arrangement is not genuine de-limitation and the deprived remain deprived.
Knowing the fact that much is at stake, it is natural and understandable that the priviledged section is fiercely guarding their turf, citing various excuses and ploys. At this juncture, rhetoric justifications and blaming the Naga Peace talk or other lame excuses is unsavorv and misconstrued. Delimitation Commission should be aware that amidst much rife, speculations and threatening reprisals, “downsizing” another contentious issue was carried out and is effective now.
Thus far, much of the developments regarding delimitation seem to have been covertly and clandestinely carried out. Many members feign not to even know about the proposed outcome. A fair mechanism should take cognizance of the merit of the cases and correspondingly decide conclusively, given the fact that the prescribed parameters of the Commission are explicitly clear.
Interestingly no one from the deprived section is in the Committee. This being the case then, who will speak on their behalf?
Peren district has over 100 villages where 54 villages have constituted an assembly seat. Whereas it is observed that less than 5 villages have even fonned a constituency elsewhere. In the spate of continued unjust situation prevailing, Peren district on an average will have 45,333 voters in one constituency as compared to some constituencies possessing only over 5000 to 20000 voters. I speak more on behalf of Peren district and also for other areas suffering similar fate.
In democratic politics, numerical strength obviously has clout and influence. This perhaps is primarily the reason why Peren district does not have a single Minister or even a Parliamentary Secretary although currently it is 1000/0 an NPF bastion. Some may conclude that Peren district has been gifted with a Rajya Sabha MP seat. To me it appears as a bonanza or reward to the MP for leading 7 MLAs to the DAN Ministry after a split caused in the Congress party giving a crucial boost to the strength of DAN Ministry.
If the Zeliangrong people are devoid of even a Parliamentary Secretary not to talk about a Minister, then who will speak or work on our behalf effectively. Pertinent issues related to our district is hardly audible, often repressed or perhaps esteemed lightly. Had we had our fair share of entitlement then the picture would be different. Our voices would have been heard. Therefore Peren district needs more representation in the Legislative Assembly. I believe that it is for these sorts of unjust cases that the delimitation process has been prescribed.
What is morally wrong cannot be politically correct. After being marginalized and denied our due share of benefits for the past 33 years, we hope and look forward to the delimitation exercises to deliver protracted justice that has eluded us for so long. Since all Nagas are deemed equal, may the same yardstick be used for measurement of all constituencies.
KUKNALIM
Asolie K. Zeliang
