Months before election, democracy is in ICU in Nagaland

The run-up to elections is perhaps the most beautiful festival of democracy we witness. Despite the cynicism that surrounds the elections, there is nothing more amazing than seeing people exercise their electoral power.

Of course, democracy does not end with voting. The right to protest is as important, at least when it comes to defending our democracy. So, I was also ‘happy’ to see yesterday’s protest that welcomed Home Minister Amit Shah during his Nagaland visit. The protesters had a very simple message: solve the Naga issue.

Now, if only it was as simple as that, right?

The Naga political crisis is as old as the state itself. Yet, as of January 2023, we are no closer to a lasting, permanent solution acceptable to all parties. While I welcome the end of bloodshed between separatist groups and the Union of India, Naga residents continue to pay a price for this never-ending imbroglio. And I use the word imbroglio because, at this point, it is indeed getting embarrassing. The rebel groups want a few things, the Centre does not want to concede: that is fine. But what next?

Now, I am not going to waste words explaining the issue: far more informed people have written books, not just articles, chronicling the issue and if you are that interested, Google is at hand. What I wish to talk about is the absolute refusal of both sides to budge from their positions. The Central government is more than aware of Naga rebels’ stance and this was evident during the tumultuous Governorship of RN Ravi and when he was removed as the Nagaland Governor in September 2021, few, if any, batted an eyelid. But if Ravi was the ‘problem’, what have we done in the 18 months since? I wish I had an answer, but I do not.

And if you think the government and the rebels have used this time to talk to each other off the record and prepare for official talks, I have news for you. We are now further than ever in terms of reaching an agreement. If anything, we are regressing as we speak. Recently, the Working Committee (WC) of the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs), an umbrella organisation of seven rebel outfits in peace mode, minced no words in slamming Nagaland BJP chief Temjen Imna Along for “greatly hampering” the Naga political talks.

The Working Committee went so far as calling Along “a man devoid of any principle, an opportunist and morally bankrupt’.

“…Mr Temjen Imna Along…has fiddled with Naga political issues and played every dirty trick in the book to thwart the progress of Indo-Naga talks. The treacherous habit of state BJP leadership has deeply eroded the Naga people’s confidence,” the statement said.

If you see signs of settlement amid such caustic remarks against a national party leader, then I applaud your optimism. I do not.

And mind you, such is Nagaland’s misfortune that the Naga political talks are not the only concern. There is another elephant in the room, one that raised its head only recently but has the potential of throwing a spanner in the works. Until the second half of last year, few outside Nagaland had heard the term “Frontier Nagaland”. And unlike the vexed Naga issue, this demand for a separate Eastern Nagaland state consisting of six districts is not decades old. It was first raised as recently as 2010 and had remained in cold storage for much of the last decade before picking up last year. The demand for a separate state, more than anything else, is a reminder that even in ‘backward’ states, some regions are more backward than others. It is a legitimate demand that merits honest discussion. But how is it that the Government of India (GoI) has agreed to provide a separate legislature for frontier Nagaland along with access to financial, judicial as well as executive powers, as some are claiming? How is it that before we have settled a decades-old issue we are trying to solve yet another issue? What happens to the Naga political issue if Frontier Nagaland becomes a reality?

At this point, every organisation wants to claim it will decide the fate of democracy in Nagaland. Some want to boycott elections, others want others to boycott. It seems that no matter the issue, democracy will be the primary victim here. And that, more than anything else, is an ominous sign for the progress and welfare of the Nagas.

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