As the world’s largest democracy, India has borne the brunt of facing challanges from a number of internal insurgent movements, and the Indian Army has been the principal and the basic instrument that the state has successfully used to counter these forces, these challanges to the central authority.
With as many as 7 major religions, twice the number of official languages and around 900 dialects, diversity of our country can never be over-emphasized. And quite obviuosly, the challanges posed to the Central Government have always been as enormous - much more than what any other Government, of any country - the world over, would have ever faced. These challanges have made us witness a number of large scale violence in the past, but the Indian Union has remained united for a close to six decades, now. Thanks to the democratic principles that have been the basis of our governance.
The Indian Army in Nagaland has succeeded in introducing and institutionalising democracy, as it has always maintained close co-ordination with the civil administration, and has thus, helped provide a distinct and coveted political objective of good governance. With the advent of time, all the ‘Civic Action’ projects undertaken by the Army, have been effective, and have been aimed for the upliftment of one and all, in the State. And to top it up, the Indian Army has consistently applied its doctrine of total restraint, and stuck to the principles as enumerated in the Ceasefire Agreement, both in letter and spirit.
Both, the Naga people and the Indian Army, have been of the same view that it is only peace, harmony and understanding that can make us march on a course of action, and accept a result, that is in the long run - in the best interest of the State and the Nation.
The hatred for the Nation that the British caused, to germinate in the minds of the clean, honest and simple Naga people has since been wiped out, and replaced with a strong patriotic feeling. The hallmark of the Indian Army is to work for the unity and integrity of the Nation and a peaceful solution of the Naga political problem. The very existence of the Army in Nagaland is driven by a deep commitment and a vision to uplift the Naga people, economically and socially.
Lt Col Nirupam Bhargava
Public Relations Officer (Ministry of Defence), Kohima
Issued by Press Information Bureau (Defence Wing), Government Of India
