Poukho Stephen,
Ph.D Research Associate Institute of Naga Studies, Dimapur
When we recall back the history of the last 70 years, in the memory of the Nagas, the gruesome pictures of their grandparents languishing under the militarized condition of the Indian army are still very fresh. Nagas lost many precious lives fighting against the torturous brigades of the Indian forces in the post-independent India. The dark phase of the Naga history came to an end only after the signing of the Naga-India ceasefire agreement in 1997, upon which the political talks began between the Government of India and the Nagas.
The ceasefire agreement between the Government of India and the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN) signed in the year 1997 is now more than two decades. Different (Indian) leaders and governments from Delhi had resorted to various deceptive policies, including promises of early solution, and that has served well to dissuade the Nagas away from their movement. In the same way, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised the Nagas that within 18 months of his Government the Nagas would be given solution. After 14th months into his government, the Framework Agreement was signed on 3rd August 2015 for finalization on the model structure of solution. However, even though two and a half years have passed since the signing of the Framework Agreement the expected solution is far from the political urgency of Indian leadership.
Prime Minister Modi and the interlocutor R.N. Ravi are clearly more concerned in the assembly election taking place in various states than in finalising the Framework Agreement. It is learnt through the daily The Hindu that on February 11, 2018, with the intervention of the interlocutor the Naga leaders were persuaded to call off the bandh on election and to give way for poll in Nagaland. Similarly, a year ago when the United Naga Council (UNC) was protesting against the creation of the seven districts in Manipur, election of the Manipur assembly was announced and the Nagas were persuaded to call off the protest to pave way for election. All these pressures were put in with the prospect of forming BJP led government in these states. Besides, when the Core Committee for Nagaland Tribe Hohos and Civil Organisations (CCNTHCO) made 11 political parties resolve to refrain from election in view of pressing for early solution, it was unsurprisingly the BJP party that withdrew from the joint party’s declaration, blaming one of their state Executive Council members, who was subsequently suspended from the party. Right after the BJP declared to contest, the flood gate was opened, and the rest of the political parties followed to join the fray.
As Modi and Ravi pressed for strengthening the BJP government, with every inch they gain the Naga movement is getting further immobilised, not to mention the bargaining strength of the Collective Leadership getting weakened. Now the regional party, the NPF which strongly stands for the Naga cause has been destabilised in Nagaland by the BJP after breaking the alliance of 15 years, and the relations between the two in Manipur has also been thrown into haywire. Conspicuously, the stronger the BJP becomes, the weaker the position of the Nagas plummeted. The ongoing talk between the two political entities is likely going to be more daunting with each phase of election conducted in India.
The state politicians may argue for the importance of election to impel early solution, but one knows that the case is otherwise. Rather, it is only allurement for political gain, power, status and benefits attached to the offices. It was the election time for Arunachal, Manipur, and Assam yesterday, and today it is for Nagaland, Tripura and Meghalaya, but tomorrow if not for another state, it will be for the parliamentary election that the Nagas will be forced to bear through with folded hands. Realistically speaking, if the solution to the Naga-India conflict depends on the convenience of Indian electoral politics, the Naga political issue shall have a new beginning with every change of regime in the centre and the state.
Ram Madhav, the BJP National General Secretary, and the person in-charge of the Northeastern states for the party predictably assures to bring early solution to the Naga problem when BJP is voted to power in Nagaland. However, it is easier said than done, as we know BJP was a coalition partner in the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN)for three consecutive governments, yet they failed to fructify the Framework Agreement. Where then, is the guarantee that the BJP prepoll alliance with NDPP is a better arrangement towards solution?To make the matter worse, there are high chances of Modi party not coming back to power with the next Lok Sabha election in 2019, let alone winning absolute majority that they enjoy now. In order to capture the support of the Nagas, BJP campaigns with the slogan “Election for Solution”, which is a replete rhetoric by every demonstration of earlier experiences.
Faulty promises of settlement have time and again become an instrument to fool the Nagas. Scaling up their rhetoric promises, leaders of Indian national political party are now soliciting supporters in Nagaland with free tickets to the Holy land. It won’t be surprising if after some years Indian political parties offer direct tickets to heaven in exchange for votes. But then, what is the use of going to the Holy land and living under the rule of the Indian government for the rest of your life? A bitter truth indeed that the Nagas have been easily divided by the external forces with allurement of ephemeral power and benefits time and again. How long will the Nagas continue to Tango in the cheap politics of India will be only answered through the outcome of the Framework Agreement.
