Do the NGO and Political Parties in Nagaland Really Reflect the Mind of the People?

The recent political and social happenings in the State greatly disturbed unnecessarily the minds of the people in Nagaland. The happenings appeared more like a wag-on of the tail of a dog than the initiation of a realistic mass movement of a people. It hardly lasted from 29th January to 4th February -7days!

In appearance, the happenings looked like a mass movement but in reality, it was the wagging of the heads of a gullible Nagaland. The Happenings seem to have founded on non-stable shifting Sand rather than on solid rock.

The entire 60 MLAs, all tribal Hohos & Councils in Nagaland, all Apex & non-Apex Organizations, the ENPO, all the State political Parties, big and small, -the grand BJP of India leading the Band wag-on and the House of Nagaland Joint Christian Forum collapsed like a House of Cards pitifully within a Week of their Solemn compromise on ‘Solution and No Election’.

The head wagging of the parade members of the band wag-on appeared based more on the noise of the drums of the parade than on the solid rock of political principles.

To have or not to have Election at the end of a Term of Office for the elected Members of the Government of a State is a mandated democratic requirement the State had decided at the creation of the democratic State. This democratic mandate cannot change at the whims of the times of the so-called Public.

The Employees of a Government appointed under a constitutional Service Rules cannot change the Rules of their appointment. A refusal to join or demit the Service is an anathema to the Service.

The Members of the Legislative Assembly of the State Elected to PUBLIC SERVICE under Oath to the constitutional requirement cannot change the Terms of the Service. That Authority is not with the Assembly Body, it is with the Election Commission Authority of the Country.

To vote or not to vote is a personal choice, a person may decide to Vote or not to Vote, that is up to him/her, but to have or not to have Election in the State is not empowered with the State. Such is the political Reality, a democratic State whether big or small cannot change.

The NSCN (IM) declared in the Papers they “will not accept Election”. This is a serious matter.

If the IM do not accept Election, the people cannot accept their Government!

A joint action committee of the NGO just some months ago yeasted the most destructive burning of buildings in Kohima Town in living memory and the recent political and social happenings in the State has unnecessarily disturbed the minds of the people of Nagaland.

Thepfulhouvi Solo. IFS Retd. (RR-68)
Retd Principal Secretary