Creating imagined foes and others : Hardselling 'anti-Naga' slogan
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 08, 2013 -

Naga Peoples Front :: Pix - TSE

Compulsion of election rhetorics made worse by a poverty of ideas.

It is apparent that despite being in power for the last ten years, that is two terms, Chief Minister Nephiu Rio does not seem to have much to sell to the voters of Nagaland.

Politics of development is obviously not the strength on which the Naga People's Front, previously named Nagaland People's Front, is banking on to lure the voters.

This should explain the 'one of the biggest enemies of the Naga people' tag that Mr Rio has attached on the Chief Minister of Manipur, Okram Ibobi Singh. The hollowness of it all rings out so loud and clear.

Discrediting political rivals at the time of the hustings is a given but Mr Rio has gone one step further and in the process exposed a deep rooted weakness.

Full points for playing to the gallery and churning sentiments. Signs of a politician, no doubt, but not a statesman.

A sure indication that the NPF is desperately looking to 'manufacture' a common 'foe' and project it as the rallying point for the people.

Reminiscent of the infamous 'foreign hands' played to perfection by the late Indira Gandhi, whenever there was any internal dissent against her or her Government.

Mischievous and dangerous too, for it involves people's sentiments and emotions.

Trying to appeal or play around with the emotions of the people may yield electoral gains, but can prove catastrophic to the region and the people.

This is what the Chief Minister of Nagaland should realise. The argument of Mr Rio also falls flat on numerous other points.

If standing up for the geo-political reality that is Manipur can be interpreted as being anti-Naga or enough to be tagged, 'one of the biggest enemies of the Naga people' then will it be justified in stating that anyone standing by the cause of the Naga people's political aspirations is 'one of the biggest enemies of the people of Manipur' ?

In the eyes of the Election Commission of India, what Mr Rio said the other day at Zunheboto and Zakhama may not exactly add up to a hate speech, but there is every reason to nail for trying to whip up communal/ethnic passion.

Did the Congress leaders of Nagaland, including Mr SC Jamir, meet Mr Ibobi as a fellow Congress man or someone who is against the aspirations of the Naga people ?

Obviously Mr Rio thinks it is the latter.

The NPF and the Congress may chart out their respective election campaign in Nagaland, but in the process no one should try to stir the communal cauldron.

As the Chief Minister and as a political leader, Mr Rio has every right to speak out for the people he claims to represent, but in trying to conjure a rallying point by painting someone as standing in the way of 'his people' he did cross the fine, dividing line.

A pity that despite being in power for ten years, Mr Rio failed to highlight the achievements of his Government in a decade as the selling point to the voters.

Creating imagined foes to pull the people will definitely go down as one of the dirtier faces of vote bank politics.

A politician, he is no doubt, but not a statesman by any stretch of the imagination. A pity !