Union Home Ministry's statement and agenda before the State Govt

Dr Khomdon Singh Lisam *

A map of the North East which shows their proximity to Myanmar and Bangladesh

Mr. Shushil Kumar Shinde, Union Home Minister had indicated on 10th October, 2012 that a solution regarding an integrated homeland for the Nagas or alternative administrative arrangement is likely before March, 2013. Almost at the same time, he had also said that the State Assembly Resolution seeking adoption of Inner Line Permit System in Manipur is unconstitutional and can not be done. Why he is so much pro-Nagas and anti-Manipuris? Earlier many Prime Ministers and Home Ministers right from Madam Indira Gandhi have repeatedly asserted that Manipur's territorial integrity will be protected. But why this fever is coming off and on like a malarial fever.

We have to analyse the repeated self –contradictory statements of the Union Ministers during the last 15 years in the right perspectives. Is Mr. Shinde genuinely interested in the welfare of the Nagas? Probably not –he may not be. The hidden agenda is somewhere else.

The North East India is strategically very important for the existence of India as a country .

1. The North East India has 4500 km long international border with China, Myanmar, Bangaldesh, Bhutan, which constitutes almost 90% of India's international border. The Government of India can not forget the 1962-Indo-China war when Pandit Nehru lost all hopes of saving North East from China and said "bye bye" to the people of North East, Still China is claiming Arunachal as its territory. They are not very much confident about Myanmar or Bangladesh. All the neighbours of India are unpredictable. India is afraid of China as a superpower. But the North Easteners look and behave like Chinese.

2. The Chicken neck of 21-40 km between Garo Hills and Siliguri is another cause of worry. Once this Chicken neck corridor is blocked, the rest of India is cut off.

3. North East is a sleeping giant. It is self sufficient in all respects to be an idependent sovereign country producing petrol, diesel, iron, coal, gas, tea for the last more than 100 years. Once it wakes up from slumber, that may be be the end of India.

4. The people of north east are far superior in intellect and wisdom. Some of the states like Manipur have their own constitution before India writes her own constituiom. Some of the states have democratic form of government before India became democratic.

5. North East is having an area of 2.62 lakh sq km (7.97%) with a Population of 32.87 million (3.80%) – bigger than about 120 countries of the world.

6. The people of North East are racially different from mainland India. The North Easterners are mongoloids whereas the mailand Indians are aryans. We are different in our physical features, identity, culture, traditions, religions, language, scipt, dress, food habits etc.

7. The Central Government is aware that they have done serious blunders to Assam, Manipur, Tripura, Sikkim during the last 65 years. They are aware of the popular sentiments of the people. So they do not trust the north easterners.

8. If North East is gone, India will be many times weaker considering strategic position of the North East.

Then what strategies are they adopting to fulfill their hidden agenda?

1. Policy of divide and rule. The mainland Indians have learnt the policy of divide and rule from the their British masters from 1857 to 1947 and implemented it among the several ethnic groups who have been living together peacefully from the time immemorial. The Government of India had raised the status of Nagas from a simple village republic who had no written history to full statehood on 1st December, 1963 while betraying the Manipuris who had an unbroken monarchy for more than 2000 years. The Manipuris considered this as a great insult and till today this is the source of all conflicts with the Government of India who have done great blunders to the Manipuris during the last 65 years.

2. Prevent the people of North East states from being united. The main focus of the mainland Indians is how to keep us divided in the name of Supra State, Alternative Administrative arrangement, Greater Nagaland, Schedule- VI, Politics, ethnicity. While north east people are killing each other due to their wrong policy, they enjoy the scene in the national TV channels drinking tea and coffee in their drawing rooms. They never came to us at the time of need. When the great 18 June Uprising happens in 2001, the national TV channles were busy discussing marriage function of one Cricketeer of Pakistan. There is always media black out for north east. To them, Pakistan is more dear to their hearts then the mongoloid north easterners.

3. Another strategy is population invasion – a population war without arms. This will replace the indigenous population of North East India with Mongoloid features with the mainland Indians of Aryan blood in the name of secularism and democracy over a period of 50-60 years and reduce the indigenous population to a microscopic minority and build an united India of the same Aryan blood. The proportion of indigenous in Tripuria had gone down from 74.68% in 1901 to 31.82 % in 2001. The illegal immigrants are now in majority in seven districts of Assam and 43 MLAs out of 126 are Bengali speaking. On 6 May, 1997, Indrajit Gupta, the then Union Home Minister stated in Parliament that there are ten million illegal immigrants form Bangladesh of which three million are in Assam. However, Tarun Gogoi, the Congress Chief Minister of Assam said that there are only 39,000 Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam. The recent riot in Kokrajhar, Assam was the outcome of Government of India's blunder during 1947-1950..

The influx of illegal immigrants is also happening even in Nagaland, Arunachal, Mizoram where Inner Line System is there. In Nagaland, a new ethnic group known as "Semias" is emerging in 1980 in the Niuland of Dimapur district due to inter-marriage between women of Sema Nagas and the illegal immigrants

4. Captive market – The North East towns, cities and villages are the captive markets of all products for the big big companies from Delhi, Bombay and other big cities. All the chambers of commerce are controlled by non-indigenous people.

5. Impose Congress party rule by hook or by crook. Mr. Shinde and the ruling Congress Party wants a Congress Ministry in Nagaland by March, 2013. They can sacrifice everything for the sake of party politics. This may be done by manipulation of EVM machine at the highest level and encouraging rampant corruption at the time of election as done in case of Manipur. Why the Election Commission of India is coming out only now to make the EM machine fool proof as reported in the newspapers about a week back? Why now after election in Manipur? Were Manipuris used as experimental animals by the Central Government for their political ends.

7. Eliminate youths who raised anti-India slogans using AFSPA-1958 as a weapon with the help Armies, CRPF and Assam Rifles who claimed to be the friends of the Hill People.

8. The Government of India is inviting the biggest insurgent groups with red carpet welcome and 5 star treatment with high security cover for Talks while killing smaller groups using AFSPA -1958 as an effective weapon. The AFSPA -1958 is not applicable to bigger terrorist groups.

Why Nagaland is becoming a dangerous neighbour against the Christian spirit - dangerous to Assam, Arunachal and Manipur. The NSCN (IM) called Nagaland for Christ. They were inspired by Christian Missionaries for more than one century. Their spokesmen were often British or Americans. Rev. Michael Scott, a British citizen was one of the few examples. When Scott was compelled to leave India on 3 May, 1966, the Nagas felt that the expulsion of Scott spelt general defeat of the Nagas and the wind was taken out of

The British informed and guided them starting from the Simon Commission up to the time of Supra state. Then why not they think big and become leaders and the unifying force in the North East instead of disintegrating force. I will not question whether NSCN (IM) or Muivah represent the cause of all Nagas. Most Nagas now do not consider the faction of Muivah as representing cause of Nagas. Many Naga tribes of Nagaland said that Muivah does not have the right to speak on behalf of Nagas. According to them, Muivah in fact is not even considered a "Naga". He is considered as a Manipuri by the influential Angamis and Ao Nagas as he is from the Tangkhul community of Manipur. Isak is a Sema but Semas now have started feeling that Isak is only playing a second fiddle to Muivah. But why the Union Home Ministry is giving so much importance to the NSCN (IM). Because, NSCN (IM) serves the very purpose of their hidden agenda and Muivah becomes a powerful pawn to fulfil their hidden agenda.

Religion and culture is not the only unifying force. Why the Muslims are fighting against the Muslims in Iraq? How can the Nagas guarantee love and unity among the odd 40 Naga tribes and sub-tribes, speaking more than 30 dialects? A lasting solution of the Nagas lies in genuine economic development, human resource development, accelerated infrastructural development, creation of job opportunities, opening of new international trade routes, foreign investment, more autonomy to the state of Nagaland.

Suggestions

Shri O. Ibobi Singh, Hon'ble CM of Manipur is not a weak Chief Minister. He did not succumb to the pressure of Union Home Minister and could confront the Union Home Minister and the Prime Minister during the last visit of Muivah. He stood by the voice of the people. He had said that "I have to do this according to the wishes of my people". And he did it and he succeeded. People appreciated him. He acted as a HERO.

Now the Hon'ble Chief Minister may kindly consider the following measures to prevent repeated interference by the Government of India in the internal affaires of Manipur. The Manipur State Cabinet and the Manipur State Assembly may kindly consider to take a strong resolution for amendment of article 371C of the Indian Constitution to incorporate the following provisions to bring lasting peace, prosperity and development to Manipur.

1. The Article 3 of Indian Constitution empowering the Government of India to alter the boundary of a state shall not apply in respect of Manipur.

2. The Union List and Concurrent list pertaining to Manipur shall be taken up only with the concurrence of the State Legislative Assembly

3. Any person from other states of India shall need a Inner Line Permit to enter Manipur on payment of nominal fees.

4. Any person from other states of India will not be allowed to purchase lands without approval of the State Government.

5. Business establishments and enterprises shall be opened only in the name of the indigenous people of Manipur.

6. Manipuri women married to any person from outside the State shall not have the right to inheritance to land property and shall not be allowed to purchase lands in her name as done in other states and countries.

7. The rights, identity, customs, culture, traditions, religion, language, script of indigenous people of Manipur will be protected.

8. The rights of the of the indigenous people of Manipur to lands, forest and mineral resources will be protected.

9. The Pakhangba–Sanamahi religion, which is the indigenous religion of Manipur should be recognized as one of the religions of the State.

10. The whole state of Manipur should be declared as a hill state and it should be brought under an uniform law –bringing equality before the law.

11. The whole state of Manipur should be brought under an uniform Land laws to remove the existing discriminations among the indigenous people.

12. The terms and conditions of the Manipur Merger Agreement was not incorporated in the Indian Constitution. In case of Jammu and Kashmir, all the terms and conditions mentioned in the Instrument of Accession were incorporated under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution. Now the terms and conditions of the Manipur Merger Agreement should be incorporated in the Indian Constitution

13. A special Manipur Regimen of a strength of 20000 should be established in the Indian Army to inculcate the trust and confidence among the Manipuris.

14. A special drive for recruitment of Manipuri youths in the Railways, Coalmines, Postal services, civil, military and paramilitary services should be conducted as done in case of Jammu and Kashmir.