The picture says it all

Tuisem Ngakang *

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the commemorative function of Rani Gaidinliu with Chief Ministers of Nagaland and Manipur T R Zeliang and O Ibobi Singh :: Pix - TSE/Agencies

Let us try to decipher the moment of screen shot photo of honourable PM of India Narendra Modi standing in between T.R Zeliang the CM of Nagaland and Okram Ibobi Singh the CM of Manipur holding together a memento on a function at the birth centenary celebration of Rani Gaidinliu held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi on 24th August by using the Chinese proverb, “One picture is worth ten thousand words,”. This photo is widely publicised and circulated in a newspapers and social media.

This is a perfect picture depicting the relation of the two states and the central government. To show his neutrality and to make happy with both the states Narendra Modi tried his best to make a sharp focus at the centre, he neither slightly turned to the Nagaland side nor to the Manipur side!

There is no sign of comfortable, the scene of the picture is daunted with dispirit. Ibobi holding (rather touching) the memento in a criss cross style showing no sign of interest in holding together with Zeliang and lost in his own imagination. TR Zeliang glad in his Naga jacket proves his patriotism and tried his best to dominate the scene.

The body language of the two state leaders convey suspicious and mistrust to one another. They make every effort to maintain their seriousness as if posing first time for the photo!

The larger picture

The not so friendly gesture of the two CMs also represents the relationship of the people of two states and two communities. For generations the relationship between the Meitei and the Nagas was at the family or village level.

Since the Nagas were independent and autonomous and was ruled by the chieftain/village chief on the other hand the Meitei were under the Maharajas. Because of these differences in the form of administration the British follow different administration for the valley and the hills. The term hills and valley (ching-tam) is not just a geography connotation but also implies cultural, social set up and administration differences.

The differences have been aggravated by many incidents which took place in the recent time. We cannot deny the steady decline in the relationship between the two communities, coupled with suspicious and distrust it failed to bring any understanding between the two communities.

Their relation is marred by the principle of ‘I am always right and he is always wrong’. Both the communities have their own views and story to tell without listening to one another. These communities have been living together for countless generations yet I could not recall where they have a common interest and purpose at any point in the course of the history.

It means they have been ‘living together separately’ for ages! Perhaps the Nagas and the Meitei have the largest numbers of civil society, but surprisingly no effort have made by both the communities to bring cordial relationship.

The leader of the two states looked tense, they are far from relaxed! Perhaps it’s because they represent the most two disturbed states in the northeast. To a political analyst sharing dais may be a sign of good gesture and understanding yet a picture say different things.

Ibobi the CM of Manipur often forget that he is the CM of only Meitei, he have the habit of always opposing to what the hill people wants. Any moves by the Nagas and other hill people are considered as infringe on the interest of the Manipur state.

Any demands of the hill peoples are unacceptable and worse unthinkable for the Meitei. Any voices, any history other than that of dominant group are suppressed. It is always better to explore and respect history rather than oppress or deny it.

As a different people we may have different future just as we have different history yet we can be a good neighbour, good neighbours should have good fences and good fences make good neighbours!