Severing political ties with State Govt : Ghost of 2010 continues to haunt
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: May 20 2017 -

The ghost of 2010 is yet to be exorcised and as the United Naga Council has stated, the decision to sever all political ties with the Government of Manipur still stands.

The genesis of this decision can be traced to the decision of the then Congress Government to ban the entry of NSCN (IM) leader Th Muivah to his native Somdal village in Ukhrul district and the death of two students in the crackdown launched by the State police to quell the protest against the decision of the State Government at Mao, back in 2010.

It was after these tumultuous episodes that the Naga People’s Convention, during its meeting at Senapati the same year, decided to snap political ties with the State Government.

As things stand today, the decision still stands and this is significant given the fact that the BJP led Government here under Chief Minister N Biren has been able to reach out to the Naga community.

More importantly it also stands that the Naga People’s Front, which the UNC had decided to back in the recently held Assembly election, is a partner in the BJP led Government.

In effect this means that a political party which the UNC had backed and supported to the hilt is part of the Government with which the UNC has severed all political ties.

Moreover it also stands that the NPF is part of the NDA Government headed by the BJP at New Delhi.

The natural question that arises is whether it is politically wise to stick to a decision that was taken way back in 2010, when the political reality was very, very different.

It may have just been a co-incidence, but it is nonetheless interesting to note that the decision to stick to the ‘sever all political ties with the State Government’ stand was taken on May 17 but made it to the newspapers on May 18, just one day ahead of the tripartite talk on the districts creation issue between the UNC, the State Government and the Centre.

Interesting it will be to ask if the decision of the UNC was announced just on the eve of the tripartite talk to remind the State Government of where the UNC and by extension the Nagas stand, vis-a-vis the State Government and exert the needed political pressure.

A political leverage ahead of the tripartite talk ?

It remains to be seen how Chief Minister N Biren intends to deal with the decision of the UNC, but it would do good for all to remember that the political exigencies of the day have moved drastically from what was required way back in 2010.

The NPF is part of the BJP led Government and Chief Minister N Biren has rung out the message that his Government is ready not only to keep its door open but also extend the hand outside the door to reach out to all sections of the people, particularly the hill people.

It is only expected that the UNC and other organisations under it will reciprocate similarly.

Makes no sense to keep on letting the ghost of the past continue to haunt the present, which will undeniably have an impact on the future.