Fifteen blasts in 48 hours. Seventy-five dead. Over 300 injured. When the rest of India was celebrating Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday on October 2, 2004, insane elements were wreaking havoc in Nagaland and Assam. For the next 48 hours, these prophets of doom went on a rampage unprecedented even in the region’s blood-soaked history. Two years since that terror bombing at the Dimapur Railway station, the police are yet to make much headway into the investigation of that blood let incident. The verdict is clear: the State government has failed completely to bring to book the perpetuators who caused mass murder on an unprecedented scale. The tragic incident of that day today remains unheard of but definitely not forgotten especially for those who lost their near and dear ones on that horrific day.
Another time, the specter of violence continues to haunt the State. An innocent boy has become the latest victim of factional feud on September 29 at Zunheboto. The four year old boy did not deserve to die. Worst still, it is almost certain that there is be no one to deliver justice to Late Inato because it appears to be that it is more honorable to kill someone among the Nagas and it is a dishonor to book the killers. In other words the weak should be made to suffer while the armed and powerful should be protected or at least let off. Justice today remains a far cry for the thousands of innocent Nagas who have fallen victim to the violence perpetuated by both State and non State actors. Only last week police atrocities on civilians were reported. Inter-factional turf war is pushing up the death toll.
Gandhi, the prophet of non-violence and someone who remains admired by the Naga people must surely stand defeated. As such, remembering Gandhi on his birthday is one thing but today Naga leaders must reflect on his teachings. Gandhi was a philosopher of the politics of peaceful protest. His basic aim was to find out how a law abiding citizen or group should resist constitutional authority and provided a definite guide for peaceful conflict resolution. Gandhi was aware about history where fighting evil with evil only accentuated evil and violence. If ever our purpose is to put an end to violence then it surely cannot be done through the use of violent methods.
Another powerful message of Gandhi was his notion of satyagraha that no one is wholly right or wrong. Such an attitude leads to the conversion of enemies into friends and resolution of points of conflict into points of agreement acceptable to both. It is therefore of immense importance for the Naga underground leadership to start relating to this profound message. Gandhi’s teaching has become more relevant for the Nagas today. The values of freedom, equality and fraternity as practiced today by national groups have been distorted to a large extent. Arms and violence cannot ensure freedom and peace just as consumerism cannot eliminate poverty. Corrupt money certainly cannot bring prosperity and happiness to society. Hegemony cannot foster fraternity or the equal respect for one’s rights. In the crisis that Nagas find themselves grappling with, Gandhi’s politics and principles deserve a prominent place.
