K. Saku Jamir
Retd. Additional Commissioner of Taxes
The outcry of the people of Nagaland for early solution to the seventy years of protracted political struggle is loud and clear which is growing louder and louder by the day. This spontaneous overflow of people’s hue and cry and rabble rousing is well founded and befitting which is deserved to be commented. Nagas felt, more than anything else, the urgent need of the hour is solution, not election. They have suffered enough and no mood to continue in this ignominy. It is, therefore, absolutely necessary that election should be deferred or postpone and solution should rather take precedence with all seriousness. It is also high time that solution issue should take precedence over all other issues.
Demanding for deferment of state election should not be construed as defiance or disowning of the representation of the people’s act, 1951 as has been wrongly projected by the Congress Party before the Government of India during 1998 election. In fact, provision is available in the act for the postponement of election for six months and further extension by another ix months and extraneous ground realities. Taking a stroll on the quick sands of public memory, the present NPF Government, have publicly promised during the election that, if voted to power, they will bring solution within three months of forming government. But till today, no solution is forthcoming. One fails to see or come across any semblance of credible attempts they have made on their promise. The erstwhile eight Congress Legislators, who were the main opposition in the House and who castigated and tormented the ruling government on the floor of the House for their corruption and misgovernance had to switch over to the ruling elite and become a part of it. On this occasion, they have publicly said that they have joined the enemy camp for bringing solution to the protracted Naga struggle. One wonders as to what they have done for solution. There is no evidence of any steps or action taken by them on this regard too.
People have realized now that all these were empty promises just to hoodwink the electorate for furtherance of their political interest under the facades of solution. It was a bolt from the blue for the people of Nagaland. This was a historic decision which will go down in the annals of the political history of Nagaland. It was a day of oppositionless government when a vicious cycle is created where looting spree was free for all and sundry. The aftermath of these ills is what Naga people are suffering from. They are intercalated between the devil and the deep blue sea. On the one hand, they are overburdened under the weight of multiple taxation and extortion. On the other, they are suffering from misgovernance, corruption, unemployment and insufficient availability of basic human requirements and sustenance on all fronts. This is a scenario where people say that they pay less importance to the election and favors solution as the most important need of the hour. Under the crushing load of social malice, people are heartbroken. Many a heart is bleeding and sobbing inconsolably and silently in their closet. Are the elected representative and the politicians blind to this pathetic condition of their electors? Are they blind to rural distress? Are they blind to the urban ignominy? If they have any concern and love for the people and if they have any tears to shed, it is time to shed them now.
Politicians and the political parties are the most appropriate forum now to approach the Election Commission and the Government of India to apprise the urgent need of the people of Nagaland to stoop with folded hands and beg for postponement of the election and start process of solution with the right earnest and seriousness. Fellow citizens of Nagaland, have courage and be firm on the stand taken. We have waited long. We have enough of patience, we have weathered storm. If we fail now, we’ll have to be back to square one and be swallowed by the snake of multiple taxation, extortion, corruption and misgovernance again. We have suffered enough, enough is enough is enough!
