Writing this on the eve of a new political development in our state, I allow myself to ponder on things of the past, and anticipate eagerly on what is to come. While many will debate on who should/ought be the new leader of our state, this new development is a welcome change from the impasse of the last twenty days. Congratulations to Dr.Shurhozelie Liezietsu on becoming the Chief Minister of Nagaland. I can safely assume that any change ending the prolonged social unrest and turmoil causing untold suffering and loss to public properties and crippling the entire state machinery, is welcomed by all parties.
As we can all imagine this ascendancy will be anything but celebratory for the incumbent CM as the road ahead is littered with challenges and the tasks daunting. I do however hope that with his invaluable experiences as a veteran politician, he will employ his wisdom and sympathetic spirit to truly work for the cause of the people. With numerous pressing issues which will unquestionably be dealt with in earnest, I wish to draw his kind attention to one grave issue for which I believe he is most apt to tackle. It is one whose negative repercussions is no doubt being experienced by my generation, but has the potential to obliterate the next generation and our race as a whole if we allow it to fester. We can no longer remain mute spectators, numbed by our selfish designs, oblivious to the growing signs of this menace.
The NPF Manifesto for the Nagaland Assembly Elections 2013, under Agenda (xxi) –Illegal Immigrants, the party admits that the problem of illegal immigrants remains an issue of ‘utmost importance’. They have also declared that the Party’s ‘stand on this issue cannot be compromised under any circumstances’.
As the former party president and now the Chief Minister, I cannot imagine a more conducive time as now for him to make good of the promises made in his party’s Manifesto for the Assembly Elections 2013. As President and signatory of the NPF Manifesto 2013, I am well aware that he needs no reminding of the promises and assurances given to us. However, the ground reality today falls dismally short of the promises made to us. There is a colossal influx of IBIs today, pouring in day and night, not just into Dimapur and neighbouring districts but to Kohima, the capital of the state. Businesses owned by them are growing like weed every day, depriving many Naga youth their share in this commercial exercise. The threat of an economic annhilation is not the only issue facing us. Social crimes perpetrated by them are on the rise. Cat calling and eve teasing by these aliens, a culture so abhorrent to our Naga society is now common place. While it may seem harmless, it is a blatant show of disrespect for women and audacious disregard of the norms and culture of the host community.
In its manifesto, the party has stated that in order to tackle this grave matter it will follow certain policies with ‘sincerity’. I am curious if the party has been able to follow up on the policies mentioned by them:-
• Take the civil societies and NGOs into confidence for tighter controls
• Make ILP system fully computerized with statewide databank.
• Check and control misuse of ILP system by Government officers, employees and contractors.
• Initiate steps to detect illegal infiltrators and delete their names from electoral rolls.
• Take up the issue with the centre and neighbouring state Governments to control inflow if illegal immigrants.
The NPF party is now in its fifth year in power, and till today we are yet to witness any action or hear of any of the policy on this issue mentioned in their manifesto being implemented. On the contrary, this ailment has only gotten worse. The IBI population has grown manifold since 2013, and it increases every single day the government remains silent. While contemplating on this issue, I am astounded by the lack of urgency on the part of the Government in curbing this threat.
It is my belief that the Chief Minister also being the former president and authorized signatory of the manifesto is the right man, at the right time with the right means to make good of the party’s promise to tackle this perilous issue which threatens the very Naga identity and culture which the party has declared to ‘protect and preserve’. In the eventuality that, he with all the power at his disposal is unable to carry out this exercise to ‘preserve and protect’ vis-à-vis the IBI influx, it will be hard to imagine if any other person can do it, at any other time, in any other government.
As rightly pointed out by Ms.Vikali Shikhu in her article, “People’s movement needs legal clarity, unbiased issue-based and unity”, in the Nagaland Post dated 17 Feb, 2017, we only have two options; follow the Mokokchung Blueprint or succumb to the Tripura version.
With the Supreme Court soon to have a constitution bench hearing in the month of May (May 11 to July 1) on the status of citizenship of children born of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants in Assam, it is extremely alarming to even think the state would be compelled to grant citizenship to them, should the Supreme Court pass the verdict in their favour. It will set a precedent for all states to follow. For now we are only playing host to them, granting them retail space, buying their merchandise and helping them flourish and prosper in all possible means. The day is not far when we will have them clawing at our share in jobs, educational institutions, and all other avenues reserved for us.
To my Naga brethren I ask this, do we all share the same urgency and threat to come together to fight this clear and present danger, as we did the last three weeks? We fought to keep the sanctity of the Special provision given to us in the form on Art 371A. I am compelled to believe that, leaders of this movement had been fighting not only for the protection of the rights of the present generation but to safeguard the rights of all future generations. While these laws are established to protect us and all our descendants, what good are these laws if one day we become but a minority in our own land, having handed over the reigns of power to an alien, because the day is not far when we will have become the mirror image of our neighbouring state Tripura, who is overrun by settlers and the indigenous population reduced to a miserable minority.
As mentioned in the NPF manifesto, the advantage of a regional party is that it listens to its people, and that it is ‘at people’s command’. While I dare say this article is a command, I do believe I speak for a majority of the people.
Here, as a young person and a woman and a Naga, who voted this party into power, believing in its promises, I plead in all earnestness to the Chief Minister of Nagaland to make good the promises laid down by his party to tackle this issue of Illegal Immigrants. The NPF has wisely declared that, ‘Growth can only be achieved if the political leadership of the government understands the realities of the ground situation’, I hope this write up has been helpful in conveying to the party leadership even in the briefest means, the ground reality of the people’s situation.
