Mon violence: BJP explores replacing Home Minister Patton in Nagaland

Nirendra Dev *

The ongoing political and high-profile security issues in Nagaland are linked to the controversial Armed Forces Special Power Act, In Manipur, the issue is quite an old one.

Once a 22-year-old who went looking for a missing cow on his bicycle and was found shot dead. In another case a 12-year-old boy was alleged to have been shot dead in a “joint operation” by Assam Rifles and Manipur police commandos.

The boy was suspected to be a member of Manipur-based group PULF, revealed investigations by a Supreme Court-appointed high-power commission, headed by the retired judge Santosh Hegde. The report maintained that 30 armed security force personnel with AK-47 and assault Rifles could not overpower the 12-year-old boy.

In Manipur yet again the killing of a former militant Sanjit in capital Imphal in 2009 also made people raise eyebrows.

Now, in 2021, the BJP central leadership is not happy with its Nagaland unit leaders and also the NDPP-headed government on two counts. The Dec 4 violence resulting in death of Naga civilians should have been handled more effectively and in a matured manner.

Thus, a demand is being built up that senior legislator from the recently violence-hit Mon district and the existing Transport and Civil Aviation Minister Paiwang Konyak be made the new Home Minister in the state.

"This move will send a positive signal to the people of Mon district who are grievously hurt following the killing of local Konyak Nagas on Dec 4 and 5," a source said.

Deputy Chief Minister Y. Patton currently holds the Home portfolio but there have been certain issues and fault lines in his functioning styles. The BJP sources say, for state level politics, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio is generally given freehand. However, as the Chief Minister of a coalition regime of NDPP, BJP and NPF, they understand that Rio is being very cautious.

Things are also seen as part of larger pre-2023 assembly elections preparedness. In 2018, BJP's strike rate was better than NDPP which won only 18 after contesting 40 seats. The saffron party had picked up 12 seats contesting only 20. But since then, the NDPP-BJP alliance has seen ups and downs. Now, pressure is being mounted on Chief Minister Rio to go for a minor reshuffle.

Apparently, the central leaders suggest, Rio in principle wants the BJP high command to take the call for replacement of Deputy Chief Minister Patton. "With the peace process in advanced stage, we are in a season of consensus building," the Chief Minister Rio told a few party confidants. So, NDPP sources suggest - replacing or dropping Patton should not be his decision but of the BJP central leadership.

The Konyaks in Mon district share ethnicity with Hemi Nagas and other smaller native groups in Myanmar. The December 4-5 massacre could lead to some vicious cycle of violence also. At one time, rebel NSCN leader S S Khaplang was also a Hemi Naga and he had "admirers" on the Indian side of the border.

Sources in Delhi are also not happy that after the Dec 4 tragic incident the violent protest was allowed on Dec 5 in Mon wherein the Assam Rifles camp was vandalized. This 'protest' led to the death of one civilian and also an Assam Rifles personnel in Mon town. The Oting village where the Dec 4 firing took place is quite a distance from Mon.

The BJP central leadership is also not happy with the manner the NDPP and NPF leaders are gunning for the army and pressing for the withdrawal of AFSPA. More so because Mr Patton, a BJP man, is the state Home Minister. The centre has expressed regrets over the killing of civilians and has also ordered a military \ court of inquiry against army personnel.

Both Shah and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are in the meantime keen for faster progress to the pending Naga peace talks despite major hurdles thrown by NSCN (Isak-Muivah) faction vis-a-vis Flag and Constitution. These two demands cannot be met by any Indian government worth its salt and especially the one led by Modi -- which took an unprecedented and tough stand in Kashmir.

The alliance politics has only added further complexity in Nagaland peace process and hence the Christmas Gift could still be far off from the 'God-fearing' Nagas.