Time to use Election to defeat Status quoists
A K Mishra needs to step down

Nirendra Dev *

Welcome to the 'world of extortion'; R N Ravi is far off; and hence nothing to fear. Manipulations win, but can Elections now defeat the saboteurs of Peace and Solution in Nagaland? It's a tall order. But Naga voters need to break their confidence on manipulation power vis-a-vis polls.

Crush the saboteurs of Peace and Solution, and give a more purposeful message to the Government of India. If Nagas could wait for 26 years, a few more months is okay. Build up the pressure by 2024 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his populist BJP will be preparing for parliamentary elections.

The real torment for those who take faceless Indian and Nagaland voters for granted should begin on the voting day. Now, the 'civil society' and what is left out should focus on educating citizenry -- do not waste a single vote.

The saga of betrayal can often have no limitation. Bad times can only turn worse when common people are compelled to accept falsehood and echo lies. The story turns grimmer when 'leaders' are drugged to maintain silence.

What makes status quoists and saboteurs so confident about elections? The answer lies in the voters. The lack of conscious play and genuine leadership of the intellectuals and civil society.

The turn of events show veteran regionalist Shurhozelie has entered into his retirement stage. There is no purpose now for the NPF to run 'separately' -- the legislative wing is only a shadow. It's time for NDPP and NPF to merge.

The NSCN-IM statement on Jan 18 evening after polls announcement stated: -- "The Nagas do not acknowledge any agreements signed under the Indian Constitution" -- negates the NNPG-NSCN(IM) joint statement of Jan 14. And perhaps more importantly, it also confers a 'virtual Padma medal' on the UDA regime. The NDPP, the BJP and the NPF --- none can wash off hands.

On Jan 14, the joint statement signed by NSCN-IM chairman Q Tuccu and N Kitovi Zhimomi had declared "unconditional commitment to collaborate on the basis of our respective agreements (Framework Agreement of 2015 and the Agreed Position of 2017) for the resolution of the Naga historical and political rights with Govt of India".

Now, Mr A K Mishra must be wondering --- what's a better result oriented post-retirement career option.

He can voluntarily retire into oblivion after he submits his report on Eastern Nagaland. Probably it is in decades now that an elected Chief Minister of Assam has played havoc with the fate of Nagaland politics. Both Nagaland and Assam will regret this.

In 1998, the NSCN-IM had favoured a boycott of polls but this year it has not said anything publicly.

Time to wake up, Mr Shurhozelie (as promised to me in Aug 2022) and also NDPP president Chingwang Konyak. In all these, the NPAC seemed to have diagnosed the malady. "If one is for a solution say so, whereas if the other is against the solution, be open without inhibition," it has said.

A king's foremost duty is to keep himself in power. But voters can kill the parrot and the puppet; King will be defeated automatically. Political parties and citizens ought to fight the ensuing elections more seriously than ever. Each vote will count. All the fragile hopes of the next generation is in that box, called EVM.

Life is full of paradoxes. Some people will spend crores to save 'one office'; and some people may commit suicide free of cost.